Remember the Wonders
By Amanda Idleman
Remember the wonders he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he pronounced, - 1 Chronicles 16:12
Have you found that as an adult, your memory isn’t as good as it once was?
So many times, a friend asks how my weekend was on Monday, and it feels like every detail of what had just passed just fell out of my head! I joke that it’s because my brain is too full, new memories no longer stick as easily.
The same is true of us as believers! How quickly do we forget the great things God has done for us and for those that we love? We proclaim to be people of faith but often behave in the same way as the faithless. We expect the worst, forgetting that we have access to the power of God every day to meet all our needs, both big and small.
The wandering Israelites that God led out of captivity in Egypt with the help of his leader Moses had the same memory problem that we do. God showed up to redeem them, save them, provide for them, and guide them over and over again, yet they consistently forgot, disobeyed, doubted, and reacted out of faithless fear. This pattern became such a problem that God sentenced them to life wandering the desert and only brought the next generation into the promised land (Deuteronomy 1:35).
Are you stuck in the desert because of a lack of faith? Have you forgotten his wonders, miracles, and judgments? We are more like the doubting and forgetful Israelites than we often want to admit.
We have to be intentional about taking notes and giving God all the glory for what he has done for us! His miracles range from ones we take for granted like giving us breath in our lungs today from bending the rules of the universe to showing us his love. Our souls benefit from daily practice of gratitude for the seemingly small to the wondrous and everything in between. We must remind ourselves that God is GREAT! He is able to do more than we could ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20)!
Living with gratitude creates in us a posture of expectation so when we have a need our automatic response is one of faith. We remember that God is the one who provides all we need. God honors our faith. He tells us that all it takes is the faith of a mustard seed to see anything that we need happen (Matthew 17:20). Faith is key to seeing God’s miracle-working power unlocked in our lives.
Remembering what God has done to bring us to the place we are in the moment encourages our hearts when the going gets tough.
My husband and I have five kids, and two of them have joined our family through foster care and adoption. Sometimes, being parents of all these kids is hard. All five of them come with their own personalities, needs, and I can begin to doubt God’s good plan in placing us altogether on those very hard days.
But then I remember all that he has done! He did so many miracles to put our family together in such a special way. Remembering encourages my heart, reminding me that I am exactly where God wants me to be. The hardness of this role does not mean I’m in the wrong place. God placed me where I am on purpose with a purpose. Remembering his miracles reminds me I am just where he wants me to be.
Intersecting Faith & Life:
Take time to remember all God has done for you. What miracles have you observed in your life? How have you seen his wonder at work around you?
Pause for gratitude. Write down what you are grateful for as a daily practice.
Repent of faithless living. How have you doubted God’s ability and goodness? Let him know you are sorry for not remembering how great a God he is!
Further Reading:
Exodus 15:22-18:27
Does God Still Perform Miracles Today?
Mini-Miracles
Photo Credit: ©Unsplash/Frank McKenna
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