Invitations to AbundanceНамуна

Remembrance

To some people, myself often included, holidays are simply days I don’t have to go to work. Whatever the day may officially be about, to me, it’s about getting a late start on the day, a slow breakfast, an afternoon nap, some friend or family time, and an excuse to splurge on dinner. The meaning is easily lost.

The Memorial Feasts

Israel’s mandated feasts—their holy days—whatever the particulars, were meant to point them back to God. They were to interrupt the routine and rehearse the deeds of the divine. They were occasions to remember God: God in the midst of their slavery, God behind their delivery, and God journeying with them during their time of wandering. God meant for their memories of his miraculous acts of deliverance and provision to help them obey and live lives of trust, generosity, and perseverance.

Passover, perhaps the most familiar feast to us, commemorated their escape from Egypt. By retelling that story through an unfolding meal they acknowledged God as their deliverer. The Feast of Firstfruits and Weeks were harvest festivals meant to remind them that God provided them their land and that it was he who fed them from it. By giving the first of their harvest they acknowledged God’s provision. Sukkot was instituted to remind them of their time in the desert when God sustained them in the murky middle.

Long Memoried People

If not vigilant about remembering, what would remain after generations of neglect of their story would be no more than fading trust in God. Instead, God clearly desired pride of place in people’s minds as they enjoyed the freedom, sustenance, and end to their wandering that he’d arranged specifically for them.

God wants this for us as well. The Word, songs, weekly fellowship with other believers, and prayer are all ways that we can keep his provision in mind. But what he asked of Israel was specific and it is helpful for us to be specific as well. How can you memorialize God’s hand in your life? What rhythms and habits can aid you in keeping his goodness towards you fresh in your mind? Here are some ideas to get you started:

●Build remembrance into your weekly Sabbath.

●On the last day of each month make a list of ways God has grown you or provided for you, review the previous month’s list each time you make a new one.

●Hang a small whiteboard in your kitchen or family room—a high-frequency high visibility area—where you note ways you’ve seen God at work around you and others