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REMEMBERING GOD (1 CHRONICLES 16:8-27)

REFLECTION

“Remembering God” is the theme for our reflection. To remember means to recall or bring back to one’s consciousness a fact, someone or a thing. Remembering God means having the habit of recalling the works of God in one’s life or bringing back to one’s consciousness God’s faithfulness and as a sign of gratitude, eulogise, dancing and singing songs of praise and adoration to Him. We shall reflect on the fact that giving testimonies about God’s goodness and singing praise or praising God through prayer are significant ways of remembering God.

Dear friend, King David remembered God because of His faithfulness to Israel over the years and from generation to generation. He praised God as a sign of remembering His good works and covenant relationship with Israel. The Ark of the Covenant which represents God’s glory or presence among the Israelites had finally been brought to Jerusalem after many years. Regardless of the challenges they encountered on their way to Jerusalem, the Lord made it possible. It is for this reason, “That day David first appointed Asaph and his associates to give praise to the LORD in this manner: 8 Give praise to the LORD, proclaim his name; make known among the nations what he has done. 9 Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all his wonderful acts. 10 Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice. (1 Chronicles 16:7-10)

Friends, one of the significant ways of remembering God always is to acknowledge and praise Him after every success or achievement in life even as we recount His mighty works and faithfulness in the past. David not only praised God once the Ark of the Covenant arrived at Jerusalem but He caused the people to remember God’s faithfulness and covenant relationship with their forefathers of which they have become beneficiaries. David said “He (God) remembers his covenant forever, the promise he made, for a thousand generations, 16 the covenant he made with Abraham, the oath he swore to Isaac. 17 He confirmed it to Jacob as a decree, to Israel as an everlasting covenant: 18 “To you I will give the land of Canaan as the portion you will inherit.” 19 When they were but few in number, few indeed, and strangers in it, 20 they wandered from nation to nation, from one kingdom to another. 21 He allowed no one to oppress them; for their sake he rebuked kings: 22 “Do not touch my anointed ones; do my prophets no harm.”

23 Sing to the LORD, all the earth; proclaim his salvation day after day. 24 Declare his glory among the nations, his marvellous deeds among all peoples.” (1 Chronicles 16:15-24) Do we also remember God constantly expressing our gratitude to Him through songs and prayer for what He has done for us in the past and present? Are forever grateful to God for being beneficiaries of His grace and love?

We must cultivate the habit of showing gratitude to God through any means we can to prove our loyalty, devotion and love for God. David said, “What shall I return to the LORD for all his goodness to me? in  Psalms 116:12, Then he answered “…I will sacrifice a thank offering to you and call on the name of the LORD. 18 I will fulfill my vows to the LORD in the presence of all his people, 19 in the courts of the house of the LORD— in your midst, Jerusalem. Praise the LORD. (Psalms 116:17-19) Dear friend, every day is a day of remembering God for all His goodness to us, we must give Him praise whether we are strong or weak, poor or rich. David again said “I will declare your name to my people; in the assembly, I will praise you.” (Psalms 22:22) As long as we are alive, we must continue to remember God for all His faithfulness and benefits. Jesus admonished us that “if you keep quiet, the stones will cry out.” (Luke 19:40), signifying that if we who are beneficiaries of God’s grace and goodness refuse to remember God by praising Him, non-living things will be given the privilege to do same. In other words, we have been created to worship God all the days of our lives even as God remain faithful to us through His covenant relationship. This covenant relationship moved from Israel to the whole world when Jesus assured us, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” (John 3:16-17) Friend, what excuses do you have for not remembering God through daily morning devotions? What excuse do you have for not remembering God by fellowship with other believers to praise Him during midweek and Sunday worship services? Indeed we have no excuse and it is for this reason Paul admonished us “1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. (Romans 12:1) Dear friend, for all that the Lord has done for you, what have you done for Him? All He requires from you is your faithfulness, your love for Him and your neighbour and a life of fully dedicated to Him through worship. It is important to note that worship is not only an event we observe during Christian gatherings on Sundays but a way of life of in which God is the foundation, “in him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28)

In summary, we have discovered that giving testimonies about God’s goodness and singing songs of praise or praising God through prayer are significant ways of remembering God. Shalom.

PRAYER

May the Holy Spirit empower us to remember God always by living a life of gratitude through the singing of a song of praise to God and bearing testimony of His goodness and mercy in the world. Amen.