DID YOU REMEMBER
Genesis 28:15 (God’s Word Translation)
15 Remember, I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go. I will also bring you back to this land because I will not leave you until I do what I’ve promised you.”[1]
How many times have I gone into the store knowing exactly what I was there to get, only to leave out with bags of things, get home, and realize that I did not get the main thing I was there for? I have done this more times than I can say. Now, my wife will text me a list, helping me to remember. When I get back to the car or home, she will ask me “did you remember get the things that were on the list?”
This call and need to remember is not limited to grocery lists. I realize God wants us to remember. Yes, He calls us to recall, bear in mind, and not forget. For example, the children of Israel are out of Egypt, ending their time in the wilderness, and about to enter the Promised Land. Listen to the Lord’s call for them to remember.
Deuteronomy 6:10-12
10 And it shall be, when the Lord thy God shall have brought thee into the land which he sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give thee great and goodly cities, which thou buildedst not, 11 And houses full of all good things, which thou filledst not, and wells digged, which thou diggedst not, vineyards and olive trees, which thou plantedst not; when thou shalt have eaten and be full; 12 Then beware lest thou forget the Lord, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage.[2]
These rescued people are charged to watch, guard, and pay attention. This is a call for them to protect the facts that they have about God. Are you protecting the facts you know about God? These facts have to be guarded and protected so that we do not dismiss them from our mind, overlook or ignore them. Notice what Psalms 103:1-5 says.
Psalms 103:1-5
1 Bless the Lord, O my soul:
And all that is within me, bless his holy name.
2 Bless the Lord, O my soul,
And forget not all his benefits:
3 Who forgiveth all thine iniquities;
Who healeth all thy diseases;
4 Who redeemeth thy life from destruction;
Who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;
5 Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things;
So that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s.[3]
There is an interesting event and call to remember in Genesis 28. Here, Jacob, one of Israel’s patriarchs, is on a journey. He is traveling from Beersheba to Haran. One of the reasons for this journey is to escape his twin brother Esau who wants to kill him. As Jacob sets out on this journey, he has nothing, no wife, no kids, no property, and no money. Still, the Lord speaks to Jacob. Many of us are on a journey and need the Lord to speak to us. As the Lord speaks to Jacob, He gives him three things to remember, things he must hold on to, guard, and protect. What are the three things Jacob is instructed to remember?
The three things Jacob is told to remember are all found in Genesis 28:15. It says, “Remember, I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go. I will also bring you back to this land because I will not leave you until I do what I’ve promised you.”[4]
First, Jacob must remember the Lord is with him. During the pandemic and other life crisis, did you remember the Lord is with you? His being with us means He present and near. There is nothing like the presence of the Lord. Listen to what David said in Psalms 23:4 about the comfort and power of the Lord’s presence. “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.”[5] The Lord’s presence keeps us from being overwhelmed with fright. His presence gives us emotional strength. Remember, the Lord is with you!
Second, Jacob must remember the Lord protects. For the Lord to watch over is for Him to protect. During the pandemic and other challenging moments, did you remember the Lord is protecting us? Even if you have faced very difficult situations in life, it could have been so much worse. Lord, thank you for protecting us. Thank you for divine protection! The Lord wanted Jacob to remember that He is going to keep and guard him. Often, I have heard older Christians say, “the Lord kept me from dangers seen and unseen.” We are still here because He kept us and He protected us. I hope you remembered the Lord’s gracious protection.
Finally, Jacob must remember the Lord will not leave him. I am so glad that the Lord does not leave us. During the pandemic and other dark seasons, did you remember that the Lord will not leave you? His promise not to leave us means He will not will not abandon, desert, or reject us. He stays with us long term, never separating Himself from us. There is nothing we face or deal with that will drive Him away from us. He is with us always!
For all of us, life is a journey. Our journeys have trials, spiritual attacks, and frustrating moments. We feel lonely, isolated, and vulnerable. It is during these times that we must remember the Lord is with us, the Lord is protecting us, and the Lord will never leave us. As we journey to our destiny and move to the end of a pandemic, it will do us good to remember these facts and embrace them as truths for our lives.
By: Bishop Arthur F. Mosley
[1] GOD’S WORD Translation (Grand Rapids: Baker Publishing Group, 1995), Ge 28:15.
[2] The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), Dt 6:10–12.
[3] The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), Ps 103:1–5.
[4] GOD’S WORD Translation (Grand Rapids: Baker Publishing Group, 1995), Ge 28:15.
[5] The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), Ps 23:4.
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