Doing This, That, and More in Remembrance

One day last week, I forgot the date, I went down stairs only to ask, “what am I here for?”. Then I remembered and returned upstairs with several items in hand. But now I have forgotten exactly what I remembered to get. This scenario illustrates our easy exchange of remembering and forgetting. But is it true to the biblical idea of remembering? There is a reason why the title of last weeks article, “A Covenant Remembering God Amidst His Not Remembering People” is not “forgetful people.” Let me explain.

When God remembers; he acts. In the flood narrative there is the strange note, “But God remembered Noah” before God acted to abate the flood (Gn. 8:1-5). God remembered the covenant promise he made with Noah at the beginning of the narrative (Gn. 6:18-21). No wonder Isaiah declares the “days of Noah” to exilic Israel. When God heard the groaning of the slaves in Egypt, he “remembered his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob” and he acted (Ex. 2:24; 3:7ff).

When God’s people remember their covenant. they too must act. Let us return to Psalms 105-106 and change those nor remembering acts into positive actions: “remembered the abundance of his steadfast love,” “waited for his counsel.” “adored the land with faith in his promise,” they were not rebellious” and they prayed, “Save us, O LORD our God.” The prophet Micah indicts Judah for not remembering God’s saving acts in bringing them into the land. To their inquiry of what to do, he responds, “do justice, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8). We must respond in kind to the covenant making acts of God even as we drink the cup of the covenant that was poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.

—Tom Yoakum