Jesus, I'll Never Forget

This old song was always one of our Bishop's favorites. As you can tell, he has been on all our minds a lot lately. He is mentioned in every sermon, every Sunday school lesson, every conversation. He was quite a man and has left us with a convicting, gripping responsibility to do more in his absence. I will continue in the vein of thought from my post about the valley of remembrance. We have to remember what God has done in the past for us to remind us that He is still working for us now.

All throughout Psalm 78 we read of how God’s people provoked him in the wilderness (v 40)… they remembered not his hand nor the day when he delivered them from the enemy (or translates from affliction)… it goes on to tell all he did unto them and then, in verse 52 it says:

“But God made his own people to go forth like sheep, and guided them in the wilderness like a flock. And he led them on safely, so that they feared not: but the sea overwhelmed their enemies.”

He is such a merciful God. No matter how much we fail Him, how much we get it wrong, we are always His sheep in need of a shepherd. That's how He sees us. We get bogged down feeling unworthy of His guiding hand… feeling that we’ve doubted Him when the waters got too high or the way seemed too rough. Here is a clear example of how He longs to lead His people safely and in the way that’s best for us. You’re only a breath of repentance away from His perfect divine plan.

What has always moved the heart of God? Repentance. He can’t help but rush in when we acknowledge our ignorance, our selfishness, our wrong choices, our weakness and lack of faith.

2 Chronicles 7:14 “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”

One more example... in Mark 9 a man brought to Jesus his son, who had a deaf and dumb spirit. This spirit would sometimes cast the boy into the fire. Jesus told the man, "If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth." I love this part... the man was honest enough with Jesus to just cry out with tears and say, "Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief." He acknowledged that he didn't quite have all the faith he needed. We don't have to have it all together. We just have to admit that to Him and watch Him work. By the way, He healed the child instantly. We won't forget!!!