Recently I visited the congregation where I was converted almost five decades ago. The occasion was to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the congregation in that small town.
As I sat there, so many memories came to mind. I thought of my own conversion. I met my wife of 45 years at a church service there. She, too, was converted there. I can still remember the dress she had on that night. We spent the first few years of our marriage there. We worked the church bus ministry there. Many dear friends still attend there.
I thought of the word remember. This is a very common word in the Scriptures.
In Luke 16:25, Abraham said, “Son, remember that in your lifetime you received good things…”
Certainly as I look back over my life, I have been the recipient of so many good things. My association with that congregation is one of those good things.
Read Hebrews 13:7. Remember those who rule over you, who have spoken the word of GOD to you. I am indeed indebted to those who have spoken the words of truth to me throughout my life.
The word remember is found more times in the book of Deuteronomy than all the other books except the Psalms. In this the giving of the law a second time, Moses reminds the children of Israel not to forget their past. Several times you have the phrase, You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt. (Deut 5:15, 15:15, 16:12, et al)
The tendency of man is to forget those bad times, those times that sometimes forged us. When things are going well, we forget. Sometimes we need to be reminded of where we were and how things used to be.
Oh, and by the way, we need to remember as well that we too were slaves. Not slaves in Egypt. But slaves to sin. If you are a New Testament Christian, please read Romans 6:17, 18.
But GOD be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.
I was never a slave in Egypt but my slavery was much worse than that. I was a slave to sin. I am still a slave, but GOD be thanked I have been set free from the slavery of sin.