He reminded himself that love will always overcome tragedy.”
–Cliff Hudgins (Grandpa’s Legacy)
“Yes, I think it is right, as long as I am in this tent, to stir you up by reminding you.”
“Yes, I think it is right, as long as I am in this tent, to stir you up by reminding you.”
–2 Peter 1:13 (NKJV)
———————————
They used to tell you to tie a string around your finger to remind yourself to do something. The problem I have now is wondering why I have the string on my finger. But it is important to remember. There are times we have to remind ourselves over and over to do something. It’s funny though, there are some things that I never had to remind myself of. If I had a ball game, I never had to think of when it was, but then there are other occasions where I must constantly remind myself.
Long ago, I got into the habit of writing daily reminders right after my devotions in the morning. I set aside in my notes, to write at least ten things that I needed to get done that day. It was a good, quick reminder of the plans for the day. I never was one to prioritize, but if something didn’t get accomplished, it went on the list for the next day. Maybe this is a good time to remind ourselves of priorities. #1, Urgent and Important, #2 Urgent not Important, #3 Important not Urgent, #4 Busywork that still must be done, and #5 useless work. If we are not careful, #3 can quickly upgrade to #1. Get the picture? Today, I still jot down my daily reminders in the morning. Often there are not ten of them, but it is still a help. At the close of the day, or the next morning I check to see what I accomplished.
In our spiritual journey we should have reminders. “Then beware, lest you forget the LORD who brought you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage” (Deuteronomy 6:12, NKJV). Sometimes it is good for us to remember what the Lord has done for us. He took us out of the bondage of sin, out of the evil, world system, and made us a new creation in Him. We do not want to become lackadaisical in our Christian walk, so we need to be reminded from whence we came. Also, we are reminded that we are to work out our salvation, “Beware that you do not forget the LORD your God by not keeping His commandments, His judgments, and His statutes which I command you today” (Deuteronomy 8:11, NKJV). As humans, sadly we have a tendency to forget so we need to be reminded.
It is good that we are reminded of how God met with us in the past. It is good that we are reminded of His blessings and deeds to us in days gone before. A reminder is not like a day of remembrance such as Memorial Day, but a day in which you remind yourself of God’s goodness to you. God even had to remind David that he was once a shepherd.
“Now therefore, thus shall you say to My servant David, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts: “I took you from the sheepfold, from following the sheep, to be ruler over My people, over Israel. And I have been with you wherever you have gone, and have cut off all your enemies from before you, and have made you a great name, like the name of the great men who are on the earth.”‘”
–2 Samuel 7:8-9 (NKJV)
We can get so caught up in doing the Lord’s work that we forget that it is He who guides us, sustains us, strengthens us, and saves us. Even more so, it is easy to get caught up in careers, making money, or just surviving and we need to be reminded of the Lord’s faithfulness.
In the many moods that we can have, in the myriad emotions that come our way throughout the day, or the season, we need to remind ourselves that we are children of God. Go back, read 1 John, read Psalm 119, or other familiar and favorite portions of the Bible. Remind yourself of your kinship with the heavenly Father. Remind yourself, as Paul writes, “Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6, NKJV). Remind yourself that God will be with you, will guide you, will protect you, and will complete the work He has started in you.
We need reminders. We need to stop when we are in turmoil and remind ourselves that there was a time when the Lord took care of me in a similar circumstance, or go to the Bible and see where He helped others in the same situation you may find yourself in. Look back at what the Lord has done for you and in your life, let those be reminders that He will do it again if need be. Remind yourself of His great faithfulness, and that His mercies are new every morning.
———————————
They used to tell you to tie a string around your finger to remind yourself to do something. The problem I have now is wondering why I have the string on my finger. But it is important to remember. There are times we have to remind ourselves over and over to do something. It’s funny though, there are some things that I never had to remind myself of. If I had a ball game, I never had to think of when it was, but then there are other occasions where I must constantly remind myself.
Long ago, I got into the habit of writing daily reminders right after my devotions in the morning. I set aside in my notes, to write at least ten things that I needed to get done that day. It was a good, quick reminder of the plans for the day. I never was one to prioritize, but if something didn’t get accomplished, it went on the list for the next day. Maybe this is a good time to remind ourselves of priorities. #1, Urgent and Important, #2 Urgent not Important, #3 Important not Urgent, #4 Busywork that still must be done, and #5 useless work. If we are not careful, #3 can quickly upgrade to #1. Get the picture? Today, I still jot down my daily reminders in the morning. Often there are not ten of them, but it is still a help. At the close of the day, or the next morning I check to see what I accomplished.
In our spiritual journey we should have reminders. “Then beware, lest you forget the LORD who brought you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage” (Deuteronomy 6:12, NKJV). Sometimes it is good for us to remember what the Lord has done for us. He took us out of the bondage of sin, out of the evil, world system, and made us a new creation in Him. We do not want to become lackadaisical in our Christian walk, so we need to be reminded from whence we came. Also, we are reminded that we are to work out our salvation, “Beware that you do not forget the LORD your God by not keeping His commandments, His judgments, and His statutes which I command you today” (Deuteronomy 8:11, NKJV). As humans, sadly we have a tendency to forget so we need to be reminded.
It is good that we are reminded of how God met with us in the past. It is good that we are reminded of His blessings and deeds to us in days gone before. A reminder is not like a day of remembrance such as Memorial Day, but a day in which you remind yourself of God’s goodness to you. God even had to remind David that he was once a shepherd.
“Now therefore, thus shall you say to My servant David, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts: “I took you from the sheepfold, from following the sheep, to be ruler over My people, over Israel. And I have been with you wherever you have gone, and have cut off all your enemies from before you, and have made you a great name, like the name of the great men who are on the earth.”‘”
–2 Samuel 7:8-9 (NKJV)
We can get so caught up in doing the Lord’s work that we forget that it is He who guides us, sustains us, strengthens us, and saves us. Even more so, it is easy to get caught up in careers, making money, or just surviving and we need to be reminded of the Lord’s faithfulness.
In the many moods that we can have, in the myriad emotions that come our way throughout the day, or the season, we need to remind ourselves that we are children of God. Go back, read 1 John, read Psalm 119, or other familiar and favorite portions of the Bible. Remind yourself of your kinship with the heavenly Father. Remind yourself, as Paul writes, “Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6, NKJV). Remind yourself that God will be with you, will guide you, will protect you, and will complete the work He has started in you.
We need reminders. We need to stop when we are in turmoil and remind ourselves that there was a time when the Lord took care of me in a similar circumstance, or go to the Bible and see where He helped others in the same situation you may find yourself in. Look back at what the Lord has done for you and in your life, let those be reminders that He will do it again if need be. Remind yourself of His great faithfulness, and that His mercies are new every morning.