Have You Forgotten Something Important?
Good Morning Friends,
Every act of love is of value…nothing is wasted. Every note added to the make the harmony is of value. When it comes to loving the dying, the poor, the forgotten, those with Alzheimer’s disease, it is we who through compassion will grow spiritually in the presence of Jesus if we act…Matthew 25 makes it clear. It is we who join the happy chorus of the saints when we remember to love the least, last and lost…It is in these acts that Jesus remembers us. This is why we must remember for those who have spiritual amnesia. Have You Forgotten Something Important?
Scripture: Praise. Of David. I will extol you, my God and King, and bless your name for ever and ever. Every day I will bless you, and praise your name for ever and ever. Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; his greatness is unsearchable. One generation shall laud your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts. On the glorious splendor of your majesty, and on your wondrous works, I will meditate. The might of your awesome deeds shall be proclaimed, and I will declare your greatness. They shall celebrate the fame of your abundant goodness, and shall sing aloud of your righteousness. The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. The Lord is good to all, and his compassion is over all that he has made. All your works shall give thanks to you, O Lord, and all your faithful shall bless you. They shall speak of the glory of your kingdom, and tell of your power, to make known to all people your mighty deeds, and the glorious splendor of your kingdom. Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures throughout all generations. The Lord is faithful in all his words, and gracious in all his deeds. The Lord upholds all who are falling, and raises up all who are bowed down. The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food in due season. You open your hand, satisfying the desire of every living thing. The Lord is just in all his ways, and kind in all his doings. The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. He fulfils the desire of all who fear him; he also hears their cry, and saves them. The Lord watches over all who love him, but all the wicked he will destroy. My mouth will speak the praise of the Lord, and all flesh will bless his holy name for ever and ever.
Psalm 145 (NRSV)
nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mortals life and breath and all things.
Acts 17:25 (NRSV)
I commend you because you remember me in everything and maintain the traditions just as I handed them on to you.
1 Corinthians 11:2 (NRSV)
and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, ‘This is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.’
1 Corinthians 11:24 (NRSV)
Message: There is a satisfaction we experience in our physical bodies that reminds us of what it is to be satisfied with God spiritually. It should be our goal in life to find this satisfaction. We get a hint of it as we find satisfaction in a cool drink for our parched souls. We seek it when we dive deep into the water of life…We seek it as our lungs cry out in pain asking us to surface into the Spirit and we passionately discover it when we remember to breathe. God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied with Him…when we breathe in a memory of Him into our experiences…when we experience Him in our daily lives…when we sing God’s praise. But unfortunately God finds our desires too weak, our passion too pathetic. We have not matured in setting our priorities. We have not allowed the Holy Spirit to produce in us a holy and sanctified life. In today’s Psalm David writes about his memory of worshipping God…In the face of rebellion in the desert David discovers that only God is worthy of his spiritual love…that experiencing the glory, splendor and majesty of His strength…His divine loving-kindness is more important than life itself. Only when David remembers how faithful God has been in His life does he experience satisfaction. Only when we breathe in our memory of God do we experience satisfaction with a passion that glorifies God. We just have to remember two things to be of service… First, that we are sinners and second that we have a great savior….that we are recipients of God’s Amazing Grace. . Here we see the power of remembering our heritage. Here we see desire and faith combined in a way to stand in opposition to a soul that had been filled with pride and now here we get a taste of God, here we taste the meat of the fatted calf and drink the cool water for which we thirst. Here we remember those things that heal the wounds of our souls. The Bible has a way of prompting us to remember things that give us hope. Service helps as well, for there nothing is so important as to remember Jesus and that He remembers us. The prophetic importance of remembering Jesus and his History is critical. We are to do it every time we take communion. In these acts of remembrance we realize how much more important it is for us that He remember us. Because He has promised that He would remember us when we serve, we not only have reason to live… a reason to praise God, but also a reason to turn our love into service and our service into a peace that cannot be forgotten. Friends, we will have a wealth of praise to offer and a wealth of grace to share as seek the Lord’s presence not just in communion but in community with the poor.
Pray that we find that which has been lost in our lives. Pray that we would remember the taste of each supper we share… of each communion we share. Pray that we too celebrate so we can remember the taste of God…the tears of the Eucharist. Pray that we honor those called to care by remembering them as they have remembered us… by imitating their faith. Pray that we remember we are children of the God most high…we are important…important enough to receive His grace-filled sacrifice…important enough to receive His love that soothes our souls and removes our fears. Pray that God’s majesty and mercy converge in our lives. Pray that we see and tell others of the impact of God on our history…tell how we perceive God’s position, power, personality and preeminence. Pray we appreciate His provision, presence, and preservation of our very souls. Pray that we read the word, review the word, remember the word and respond to the word. Pray we remember the One who loves us.
Blessings,
John Lawson
Daily Devotionals 