But remember the LORD your God… (Deuteronomy 8:18, NIV)
The Masters is over for another year and Tiger Woods has made history. Many, perhaps most, thought he would never be able to do it again. We will remember Tiger’s 15th major championship win at Augusta National and much of how he did it for a long, long time. Many of us remember the embrace between Tiger and his father Earl after Tiger won his Masters in 1997. And now we will remember the embrace of Tiger and his son Charlie, in nearly the same spot, 22 years later. Memories upon memories.
Easter is over for another year, too. Mark wrote in his Gospel, “He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again” (Mark 8:31). Just as the Jewish people have celebrated Passover since their exodus from Egypt, we remember in our Easter week celebrations that the blood of Christ has delivered us from death. It’s an annual “feast,” but it should be a daily remembrance.
Remembering is indeed important and especially remembering who we are in Christ because of what he did for us on the cross.My wife and I celebrated the resurrection of Jesus with many of our friends at a sunrise service out on the golf course at a local country club. There were three similar sunrise services at other clubs here in the Coachella Valley. These services were all held to remember the promised bodily resurrection of Jesus. It was a wonderful morning of worship and remembering that Jesus came, lived a perfect life, suffered, died, and was resurrected just as the prophets had predicted hundreds of years in advance.
As Tiger Woods had many coaches and teachers in golf, and so you have likely had many teachers in your spiritual life. The writer of Hebrews charged us to remember these people: “Remember those who led you, who spoke the word of God to you; and considering the result of their conduct, imitate their faith” (Hebrews 13:7). I am thankful for these leaders in and of themselves, but I especially remember them as faithful men and women whom God used to draw me to himself. Their teaching frequently reminded me of the one I am to remember most of all.
While many may not soon forget Tiger’s win at this year’s Masters, sadly, many will soon forget the good news of Easter and the free gift that was offered to all on the cross 2,000 years ago. Remembering is indeed important and especially remembering who we are in Christ because of what he did for us on the cross. It is vital that we help our culture remember what Easter is really about and why following Jesus leads to the best life here on earth and into eternity.
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Marty Jacobus
April 24, 2019
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The Links Daily Devotional appears Monday-Friday at www.linksplayers.com.
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