Joshua 4:1-7, Hebrews 2:1, Psalms 103:1-2
The other week my wife and I found ourselves in a rare moment: our calendar was open, we had no children (or grand children) to tend to and the weather was absolutely gorgeous. We decided to have lunch on the waterfront. As we travelled back home, I took a circuitous route and soon we found ourselves in the vicinity of the first condominium we lived in when we moved into this area. I couldn’t resist: I pulled off the main path and soon we found ourselves parked in front of the building where we made our start.
As we sat in the car my mind raced back and forth as I reminisced about those early days in our marriage and family. I remembered working various jobs to provide for the family: I remembered struggling to keep the car running and catching the bus to work, so that the family car could be for the wife and girls. I remembered those many times I wondered how we’d make it; only to see God work miracles for our young family. I remembered my wife standing by my side and expressing confidence in me – even when I doubted myself.
This past week, Virginia First Jurisdiction celebrated its Centennial Convocation. Throughout the week, we celebrated God and remembered several pioneers who labored and served the Lord and His Church. It was a wonderful and blessed time. The Lord began to speak with me concerning the need for His people to remember the many blessings, promises and prophecies He has given us, and the danger of forgetting.
In Joshua 4, the Lord instructs Joshua to have the people collect twelve stones and lay them on one side of the river. They were told to leave them their as a reminder. God declared that in years to come, when their children and descendants asked about the stones, the parents would tell the story of their deliverance from the oppressive hand of the Egyptians; they would tell how God delivered them through the Red Sea.
The saints of old left us a similar legacy – it is called testimonial service (my parents called it testimony service). What an ingenious concept. During a specified time of the service, there was literally an open microphone. People would stand randomly and recall what God had done for them in their lives. You’d hear of mighty healings, mighty deliverances or ways being made. What was even more powerful was the fact that it came from the individual themselves – an eyewitness. What a powerful time in the service – the lay member was given an opportunity to share and many times it would, “…set the church on fire.” Unfortunately, the modern church has abandoned that legacy.
The result has been tragic. We have fallen into the predicament God warned of in Hebrews – we have allowed God’s miraculous feats and wonders to slip from our memory. We have forgotten when He brought us out of a tremendous difficulty in the past. As a result, when we are faced with a challenge today, we turn to the wrong person or we make the wrong decision. Even worse, we forget how miserable we were before we trusted God and gave our lives to Jesus. We forget how bad sin was and what God brought us out of. You may recall the scripture in Proverbs about a dog returning to its vomit (Proverbs 26:11); surely it has forgotten how awful it tasted. No one in their right mind would return to sin – unless they forgot how bad sin was.
Have you ever read when Israel became angry with Moses and Aaron and they decided to elect another leader and return to Egypt, where they ate leaks and onions? Surely they forgot how bad life was under the hand of the oppressive Egyptians. Unfortunately, many of us forget today. We forget our marriage vows and we forget the commitment we made to pay certain bills by a certain time of the month. We forget that we stood in front of the congregation and agreed to abide by the rules and regulations of the church. We forgot we promised to follow the pastor as he followed Christ. We forget that we promised God, “…if you get me out of this, I will never do this again.” Could that be why the Psalmist wrote in Psalms 103:1, ”Bless the Lord, Oh my soul and all that is within me, bless His holy name.” He then writes in the very next verse, “Bless the Lord, Oh my soul and forget not all his benefits.”
Dear friends, I challenge you to begin to testify to yourselves now. Allow yourself to recount what great and mighty things He has performed in your life. I have no doubt you’ll respond as the song we used to sing: when I think of the goodness of Jesus, and all He has done for me. My soul cries out Hallelujah, I thank God for saving me!!
Remember – don’t forget!
I bless you in the name of the Lord.
Elder Eddie B Pruitte, Jr.
Holiness Tabernacle COGIC, Pastor & Founder