Remember

God has given us an ability to remember. But how quickly we forget.

Israelites Leaving Egypt

The sons of Jacob were slaves in Egypt for four hundred years. The Egyptians were harsh taskmasters, and the Israelites cried out to God for help.

God chose Moses out of the wilderness to confront Pharaoh. And after God used Moses to perform many miracles, Pharaoh agreed to let God’s people go. But as they left, the Egyptian army pursued them.

For God, a human army is no match. He parted the waters of the Red Sea for the multitude of refugees to walk across dry land before drowning the enemy as the waters rushed back together. Then He provided food and water and protection for His people as they traveled toward the Promised Land. Miracle after miracle supplied by YHWH.

But the Israelites quickly forgot God’s goodness to them, and they rebelled.

The result? They wandered in the wilderness for forty years. Death was the companion of the adult generation set free from slavery only to miss out on the miracles God planned for them in the Promised Land.

“Good” King Asa

The history of the Jewish nation is full of stories of God’s goodness too soon forgotten.

Some of those stories involve good kings and bad kings. And too often, the good kings turned bad because they forgot to remember the one and only true God.

King Asa was one of those kings. The nation of Israel was split by this time, and Asa ruled over the southern kingdom of Judah.

According to 2 Chronicles 14:2, Asa did what was good and right in the eyes of YHWH his God. He removed altars of foreign gods and commanded the people to seek the God of their fathers. And when the Ethiopian army of a million men came against Asa and his 300,000 soldiers, Asa cried out to YHWH. And God protected His people.

After God gave the smaller army the victory, a prophet came and spoke to the king.

The LORD is with you while you are with Him. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will forsake you (2 Chronicles 15:2).

Asa took these words to heart and continued to lead his people away from idols and towards a wholehearted devotion to YHWH.

But after years of peace and properity, King Asa forgot to remember what the prophet told him. Asa forgot how YHWH had provided against the Ethiopian army. And when Baasha king of Israel (the northern kingdom) came against Judah, Asa sent silver and gold to the king of Syria, a godless king, asking for help.

Hanani confronted King Asa, giving him God’s warning. Rather than repenting of his sin, King Asa angrily put Hanani in prison. He refused to listen to the God he previously worshipped. He chose to not remember YHWH nor the way He answered in times of need.

The result? The Syrian army was not defeated. King Asa developed a severe disease in his feet. And five years after his great failure to remember, Asa died, never rebuilding his relationship with the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

“Good” King Joash

A few days ago, I read in 2 Chronicles 24 the story of another “good” king.

Joash became king when he was seven years old. The priest Jehoiada and his wife saved Joash from death when the wicked queen mother tried to kill all the heirs to the throne so she could reign.

We think of Joash as another king who did what was right in the sight of the LORD. But there is a caveat in Scripture’s comment about King Joash doing right.

2 Chronicles 24:2 tells us, Joash did what was right in the sight of the LORD all the days of Jehoiada the priest.

Once Jehoiada died, it appears King Joash listened to other leaders and quit serving YHWH in order to serve idols. God sent prophets to try to bring everyone back to Him. But the people wouldn’t listen.

Finally God spoke through Zechariah, the son of Jehoida, reminding King Joash he could not prosper. Because he had forsaken YHWH, God also had forsaken him. King Joash, rather than remembering the goodness of God, became angry enough he had Zechariah killed.

2 Chronicles 24:22 tells us Joash did not remember the kindness which Jehoida his father had done to him, but killed his son.

The son of the man who helped save Joash’s life was murdered because Joash chose to forget.

My Story

Too often we humans watch God work miracles in our lives, and then, forgetting God’s power and love, we become anxious and fearful when another test comes.

The day after reading about King Joash, I was in church for Sunday service. The fact Joash failed to remember was fresh in my mind as we sang two songs telling us to remember.

We Will Remember by Tommy Walker and I Lift My Hands by Chris Tomlin. (Click on the titles to enjoy the songs.)

Two days. Two references about remembering. And then God chose to further reinforce His message to me.

For various reasons, Monday after such a blessed church service, I found myself heavy hearted. At an hour that, by some measures, was too late, I chose to drive to a nearby park for time with the Lord. While we can’t outrun heartaches, we can run to the One Who holds our hearts in His hands.

As I drove I let my Abba know I needed His help. And then I watched Him work.

The sunset called to me, and after parking, I walked a short distance for a better view. I encountered a young man who smiled as I approached. We struck up a conversation that lasted until darkness fell. And what I heard as we talked left me with a joyful heart and two lessons from my Father.

1. God is at work in our world. No matter how things may appear.
2. I need to remember what God has done in the past and trust Him.

And so it was a full circle lesson for me. Stories of men and women in Scripture who either did or did not remember God and the results when they forgot Him. Songs that remind me to remember our God’s faithfulness. And my own experience once again seeing my Father answer my prayer in a profound way that says He sees me. He knows my need. And He answers before I call.

When we walk through life’s tough times, it’s imperative that we remember what God has done in our past. He is faithful. He will not leave us to fend for ourselves.

And when life is pleasant and prosperous, it’s even more important for us to remember YHWH and what He has done. How He brought us to that land of prosperity.

Forgetting is dangerous. But remembering God and His goodness brings blessing.

A Reminder For Today

July 4, 2026, the United States of America celebrates her 250th birthday. God granted this nation a birth, but it cost many men their lives. We need to remember why they fought and the God Who gave them the victory.

In granting our nation life, YHWH asks one thing in return. That we remember Him. As He told King Asa, so He says to us as a nation: if we forget Him, He will forget us.

Scripture tells us, unless the LORD builds the house, they labor in vain who build it (Psalm 127:1). My prayer is that we citizens of the United States will turn and seek YHWH. Remember the One Who allowed this nation to come into being 250 years ago. And remember His goodness to us all these many years.

Seek the LORD and His strength;
Seek His face evermore!
Remember His marvelous works which He has done,
His wonders, and the judgments of His mouth

1 Chronicles 16:11-12

So be it! God bless us all as we remember what He has done.

Amen. And amen.

NOTE: You may also enjoy reading Nothing Is Impossible With God.

(Scripture: New King James Version; Photos: Taken by Carolyn Thigpen, Milton, FL, and Snellville, GA, 2019)