Remembering Makes a Difference

Psalm 77 is a psalm that has an important message. It begins by describing the anguish of a man who is crying out to God and is not being comforted, or is not receiving the comfort. He begins to think that maybe God isn’t listening or isn’t able to deliver him. He writes this: “Will the Lord cast off forever? And will He be favorable no more? Has His mercy ceased forever? Has His promise failed forevermore? Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has He in anger shut up His tender mercies?” Perhaps you’ve been there. Perhaps you are there now. It seems like God isn’t hearing you or at least He is not doing what you need or want Him to do. Where do we go when we find ourselves in this place? The answer for the writer of this psalm is to remember what God had done for him in the past. Memory is a powerful thing. I think when Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper and said, “Do this in remembrance of Me”; He had something more in mind than simply remembering the event. He had in mind that by remembering what Jesus did, the disciples would be motivated to action. In the movie, “Lion King”, Simba’s dead father, Mufasa, appears in the clouds and says, “Remember” (in my best James Earl Jones typing voice) to encourage Simba to have courage to fight his evil Uncle Skar and take his place as the rightful king. The “remembering” was intended to make a difference. That is what is happening here. The psalmist is remembering what God had done in the past and this memory provided encouragement in the current situation. The God who delivered you in the past is the same God that seems silent right now. But remembering what He has done in the past will help you continue to trust Him for today and for tomorrow. He has not forgotten you. He is still powerful. He will deliver you or not deliver you but He will be there with you and for you. Remembering does make a difference.

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