March 13: Memories
Read: Psalm 27; Luke 9:28-43a
Memory is a tricky thing. On one hand, it can be debilitating – remembering failures, remembering hardship, remembering when things didn’t go well. It can be warped and selective and often keeps the wrong parts.
On the other hand, memory can be beautiful – remember good times, remembering people we love and cherish, remembering when things were wonderful. It can be helpful and constructive and the thing that helps us keep our faith when we are in the midst of difficult times.
We do not know when David wrote Psalm 27. In his life before and while he was king, he faced many challenges and difficulties, times he feared for his life and times he didn’t know how he would escape.
Through it all, he could declare, “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? When evildoers assail me to eat up my flesh, my adversaries and foes, it is they who stumble and fall (Psalm 27:1-2).
In this psalm, we can learn at least four significant reminders from this psalm of David about the importance of memory to live faithful lives in challenging times.
- Remember all God has done in the past.
David remembered all the times God had shown up for him. He remembered all the times God had saved him. Though armies pursued him, though he was in the mist of war and feared for his life, he believed God would not leave him. He would be confident. David doesn’t know how the situation will turn out. He cannot presume to know if he will survive or be uninjured, but he trusts in God and knows God will do what’s best.
We too can trust that God always does the best things in the best ways. We can be confident that no matter how dark or difficult our situation may be, God is able and he is enough.
2. Remember to seek intimacy with God.
David wanted one thing from God and he says it is the one thing he will seek after (verse 4), to be with the Lord always. It’s a metaphor for living in God’s presence, for developing an intimate relationship with him. More than protection from armies, David wanted God.
In verses 7-8 David cries to God, Hear, O Lord, when I cry aloud; be gracious to me and answer me! You have said, “Seek my face.”
My heart says to you, “Your face, Lord, do I seek.” David remember that God had invited him to seek him and David obeyed.
God wants us to make him our priority. In Matthew 6:33, Jesus said if we would seek first his kingdom and righteousness, God would give us all we need. Remembering God wants us to seek him and delights to meet us should give us confidence to trust him in every circumstance. He wants us to seek him and when we do we know we will find him and he will always cares for us!
3. Remember God will never abandon us.
David had spent much of his life on the run. In verses 9-10, he asks God not to turn away from him; not to cast him off; and not to forsake him.
Even in his earlier confidence and his passionate seeking after God, David is afraid. He prays that God will not leave him. He says in verse 10, “For my father and my mother have forsaken me, but the Lord will take me in.” We don’t know a specific time when David’s parents abandoned him. In 1 Samuel 22:3-4, we read that he sent them to Moab for safety when he was fleeing for his life. It’s possible that he felt forsaken by them. It may also be that it is a poetic way of saying that even if they did forsake him, God would not.
We too can know with certainty that God will never leave us nor abandon us (Hebrews 13:5). Paul tells us that he will bring the work begun in our lives to completion (Philippians 1:6). Even if family and friends walk away, God never will. In those times when life is toughest and we’re tempted to think God has abandoned us, remember he promised he never has and he never will!
4. Remember God is always faithful.
David writes in verse 13-14: “I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living! Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!” Life will be full of trials. There may be days that seem hopeless. There may be times God seems to be hiding. And we know the day will come when our lives on this earth will be finished.
In that day, God is the one we can count on. As we remember all he has done in the past; as we remember his desire to be in relationship with us; as we remember he will never abandon us; we can trust that God is faithful. We know that he will not fail. He always does the best things in the best ways at the perfect time. He did it for David and he is doing it for you!
Questions for Reflection:
What are ways God has blessed you or shown up in difficult times? Take a few minutes to remember his provision. Thank him for it!
What are the ways you experience God most intimately? A walk in the woods? Worship music? Reading the Bible? Gardening? Painting? For each of us, God will relate to us in different ways. Take time today to seek God in a way that speaks most to you.
Have you ever felt abandoned? Take time to reflect on God’s faithfulness and his promise to never leave nor forsake you!
Readings this week:
March 14: Exodus 33:1-6; Romans 4:1-12
March 15: Numbers 14:10b-24; 1 Corinthians 10:1-13
March 16: 2 Chronicles 20:1-22; Luke 13:22-30
March 17: Daniel 3:13-30; Revelation 2:8-11
March 18: Isaiah 55:1-9; Revelation 3:1-6
March 19: Isaiah 5:1-7; Luke 6:43-45
March 20: Psalm 96; Luke 13:1-9
I have experienced God most intimately when in majestic scenes of nature. In particular, diving a coral reef in Grand Cayman and visiting the Grand Canyon are two examples that I can think of where my mind could not sufficiently comprehend what it was seeing, and so I was just in awe.