Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits – Psalm 103:2

The Bible tells us on many occasions ‘to remember’. What are we to remember? We are to remember what the Lord has done, who he is and what he desires of us (Deuteronomy 8:1-2; Deuteronomy 8:11-20; Joshua 1:8). But does the Bible tell us how to make sure that we remember? How do we ensure that we do not forget and get distracted?

The Word of God

The Bible tells us that we should constantly be reading the word of God, and we will remember. The Bible was given to us by God as a lifetime book to have that reminder as often as we need it. And we do need it. There are so many Bible verses that remind us to pay attention, take note, listen, and remember what God has said. So, spend time in his word as often as possible and let us remember Him and all He can do.

Then take care lest you forget the Lord, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. – Deuteronomy 6:12

Remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me – Isaiah 46:9

And you shall remember the whole way that the Lord your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not. – Deuteronomy 8:2

Now I commend you because you remember me in everything and maintain the traditions even as I delivered them to you. – 1 Corinthians 11:2

In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” – Acts 20:35

I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your wonders of old. – Psalm 77:11

And when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” – 1 Corinthians 11:24

Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come and the years draw near of which you will say, “I have no pleasure in them” – Ecclesiastes 12:1

Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent. – Revelation 2:5

I remember the days of old; I meditate on all that you have done; I ponder the work of your hands. – Psalm 143:5

But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. – Romans 5:8

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. – John 3:16

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. – Proverbs 3:5-6

Holy Spirit

The Bible tells us that our helper, the Holy Spirit, will bring all that Jesus has taught to our remembrance. It says he will bring to our remembrance, but he cannot bring to remembrance unless we have read and know his teachings beforehand.  Therefore, this ultimately tells us we need to know the word of God.  

But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. – John 14:26

Communion

Jesus told the disciples to break bread in remembrance of him. When we have communion, we get an opportunity to remember what Jesus did for us and how we have been saved from a destructive path to a path towards eternal life. This was Jesus’ advice on remembering him.

And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” – Luke 22:19

Community of Believers

The Old Testament speaks of the older generations sharing their testimonies of God. They were to share how great he is and all about the miraculous things he had done for them. Today given that salvation is for all the nations, we may not have older generations in our families who know Jesus and can tell us and encourage us. This is where the community of the church comes in. In this community, we learn about what God has done and is doing, and this reminds us of who he is and how great he has been to us.

Remember the days of old; consider the years of many generations; ask your Father, and he will show you, your elders, and they will tell you. – Deuteronomy 32:7

So let us take heed and actively choose to remember God and his word. Let us have Him at the forefront of our minds. Let us put Him first in all things. Let us read His word constantly, be mindful of the Holy Spirit and spend time with the community of God in communion and hearing about him.