If one were to open a well-used cupboard in my kitchen, they would be greeted by a humorous picture dating back to the mid 1970’s. The photo depicts my hubby, before age had grayed his hair and increased his wisdom, holding onto a wing of our raw, first Thanksgiving turkey. That picture invokes deep memories for me, silly memories of a young couple taking their first stab at a first holiday feast, giggling at our cluelessness, learning by trial and error. It is a bit of a refresh button on forty plus years together, helping me to celebrate my most cherished gift (other than salvation), that being my mate. Even on those grumpy, argumentative, mundane, relationship-straining days, my memory can be jolted back to thankfulness and remembrance, all due to a silly photo.
The day had finally arrived, Pharaoh had relented, and the children of Israel were about to close the door on 400 years of servitude, of homesickness for their Promised Land, and of years of the seeming silence of God. The battle of wills between Pharaoh and God was, in the end, no contest at all. Death had touched every Egyptian home and the long-awaited exodus was about to commence. It is at this crucial crossroad, this moment, that God institutes a memorial, a celebration to be passed on to future generations. Israel would celebrate the first of many Passovers.
“And ye shall observe this thing for an ordinance to thee and to thy sons for ever;” God’s people were to observe a Passover feast every year, “as a memorial…to the LORD throughout your generations: ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance forever.” God instituted this special celebration to spark their feeble memories, to sustain them when their faith was faltering, to remind them of God’s wondrous miracles that were part of their rich history and heritage. By recalling their past, they strengthened their faith in the present. Remember the supernatural acts which I performed in Egypt in order to free you from Pharaoh’s grip, remember those devastating plagues, the tragic death of the firstborn in Egypt, the redemption through the blood applied to your doorposts, how I walked you through the Red Sea on dry ground and destroyed Pharaoh’s army.
Just as a well-placed silly picture reminds me of the miracle which is my marriage, perhaps a strategically placed object, photo, or verse could be a help to you, a chance to recall God’s past victories in your life, an opportunity to offer thanks to a God Who has been and will continue to be…good!
Psalm 145:4 One generation shall praise thy works to another, and shall declare thy mighty acts.
Lord, keep my memory fresh with all of Your past blessings in my life. Use those memories to strengthen my faith and to sustain me through the tough days and deep valleys.