I was driving our daughter Katie to school sometime ago and we both spotted it at the same time: a rainbow. I generally connect a rainbow following rain, not snow (ever heard of a snowbows?) The rainbow was God's reminder that He would never again destroy the world using water as the agent. (Genesis 9:12-16)
Sometime take a concordance and look up the words, "remember", "remembrances," and its other derivatives. What an emphasis on remembering! Memories that are not constantly refreshed will quickly recede. The lesson of the book of Deuteronomy can be summed up in a single work: REMEMBER. Learn from the past; recall God's faithfulness in former times for issues of today; don't duplicate the errors of previous generations. For 40 years God provided manna and prevented clothes from wearing out in order to show His people He could be trusted. But the sad lesson from Mr. Sinai (the golden calf incident) and Kadesh Barnea (sending out the 12 spies) is that we can so quickly forget what we should continually remember. When God's people forget what God has done, there will be trouble brewing ahead. Moses who was not going to enter the Promised Land delivered his series of sermons before his death (this is the Book of Deuteronomy) and repeatedly said, "REMEMBER!" He repeatedly reminded the people of the danger of making God's goodness a basis for their personal pride.
"Remember how the Lord..." (8:2)
"Remember that God gives you..." (8:18)
"If you ever forget..." (8:19)
"Don't forget how you..." (9:7)
Remember that you were slaves..." (15:15)
Whether you are in a valley right now or enjoying a mountaintop experience - or anything in between - don't forget to remember!
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