Remember to Remember

We have a Links Fellowship in the Southeast with one deeply-meaningful tradition. After an opening prayer, our beloved leader welcomes the first-time guests. Then, he asks them to introduce themselves and share their favorite golf memory. These recollections are all over the board. Players have described last rounds with dad, the first hole-in-one, the lowest score shot, the favorite golf course played, and the greatest golfer with whom they’ve played. I, personally, love these moments. I enjoy them for a great number of reasons, but none more than how they are normally remembered with deep emotion.

Scripture, including both Old and New Testament, is chock full of times when the Lord reminds us to remember. The importance of remembering can hardly be overstressed. In our text today, the Psalmist fondly recalls previous seasons when the Lord intervened in his life and Israel’s history. Furthermore, he doesn’t simply call it to mind; rather, he ponders its significance.

The emphasis on remembering in the New Testament is obvious. For example, it is central to The Lord’s Table where he stipulates, “do this in remembrance of me.” This exhortation from our Savior to “remember” is obviously something of a priority. Why?

Well, for one, we are a forgetful people. Memory in Scripture is not merely something that spontaneously occurs; rather, memory is something that should be nurtured and developed. It’s both a duty and a delight. It’s a virtue highly commended by our Lord, especially when we, out of sincere devotion, pause to remember his salvation and ponder the deep significance of his mercy in our lives.

Christ calls us to remember his salvation, first, that we might see his greatness. He does this so that his followers have a sense of amazement at his love and power. There is simply nothing more important in a Christian’s life than living in reverence of the greatness of God. Remembering his salvation is not only for his glory but also for our good. Among the many goods this produces, none is more important than the heart of gratitude and humility it causes in his disciples.

Furthermore, remembering the deeds of the Lord from our personal experiences or his actions in history strengthens us for future battles. Recall David going out to battle Goliath; before he entered the fray, he remembered that God had been with him in previous battles with a lion and a bear. This buoyed his faith for what many thought was a lopsided affair. And, of course, it was. But not like they imagined.

Goliath was outnumbered, even if he didn’t see it. Goliath went down not merely because David was good with a sling shot but because David was in covenant with God and Goliath was not; he was an “uncircumcised Philistine.” David remembered the past faithfulness of God’s interventions and, with that strength, entered battle for Israel’s present and future triumphs.

What is sometimes missed in this extraordinary story is how it foreshadows Christ Jesus’ battle in our behalf. We wrongly skip this important detail when we jump over how it points to Christ by going directly to ourselves. By thinking this is merely a good story to motivate us to go to battle or to have courage like David, we fail to recognize that the Scriptures include this story first and foremost to point us to Jesus, who goes to battle against the forces of darkness and emerges triumphant over sin, death, and the grave.

We are not primarily prefigured in David’s life, battles, and victory over Goliath; rather, we are those hiding in the crowds scared and incapable of victory without Christ’s intervention on our behalf.

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Dennis Darville

Copyright 2022 Links Players International

The Links Daily Devotional appears Monday-Friday at linksplayers.com.