Remember… and then, ‘Thank GOD.’
Posted on October 19, 2018 by America's Keswick in Victory Call
“I will remember the deeds of the LORD; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago.” (Psalm 77:11)
IT’S VACATION TIME!!! Well, almost… See, next month I’m going on a 7-day cruise to Honduras, Belize, Mexico, and the Cayman Islands and I couldn’t be more excited if I tried! This will be the first truly relaxing, no-responsibility vacation I’ve had since I was about 11 years old… (I’ll be turning 23 over this trip) and… it will be with my best friend, Rachel! Rachel lives in New York and I don’t get to see her nearly as often as I’d like to, especially since we have pretty conflicting schedules. I am thrilled to be making memories with her as we zipline through thousands of feet of jungle and beach, swim with dolphins, snorkel through the crystal clear waters… and eat tons of food together. Right now we are in the paying-it-off stage, but we know that the memories we will make will be well worth it.
As I think about all the memories we will share, I think about the themes of remembrance in Hosea 12 (which I read last night during my devotions.) In this chapter, Israel was deep in sin and the Lord was reminding Israel what He had taken them out of, and of the prophets and leaders He had raised up. God was reminding them of all He had done for them.
I started thinking – how often do I make conscious efforts to remember all that God has done for me? How often do I reflect on all that He has done in my life? It’s easy to credit other people for the good things in life. For example, if a loved one is healed we will show gratitude to the doctors. If a friend helps us in hard times, we will thank them profusely. If someone gives us money in times of financial stress, of course we will immediately show sincere appreciation. That’s all good, and of course we need to continue to do that!! However we also can’t forget that God is the source of our blessings, of love, of true happiness. As we thank others, we also need to be thankful to our Heavenly Father!
On that note, I also want to be sure that I’m “giving thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for [me] in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:18). It’s easy to be thankful for the big things – salvation, family, good health… but I want to be equally as thankful in the small – thankful for things like a beautiful day, for protection on the road, or for a comfortable bed. I even want to be thankful in trying circumstances, because I know the harder times will help me to grow. I want to put aside time each day for remembrance and reflection, and to offer up prayers of thanksgiving and adoration to HIM. After all, the truth is that “every good and perfect gift is from above…” (James 1:17)!
“Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.” – 1 Chronicles 16:34
Erin Culleny serves as a Marketing Assistant and Staff Writer. She loves encouraging women through her Victory Calls and finds such joy in praying for her sisters in Christ. Her favorite activities include reading her Bible, encouraging others with scripture, buying new makeup, buying dresses, and eating at the Cheesecake Factory… In that order!
The Daily Bible Reading: Matthew 15, Mark 7| You can download our 2018 Daily Bible Reading Plan by clicking here
Daily Quote: “If we would remember the miracles God has done in our past, we would not so easily worry and fear when we face new challenges.” – Unknown
This Week’s Verse to Memorize:This I recall to my mind, Therefore I have hope. Lamentations 3:21