Remember

When we celebrate Easter, when we focus our attention on the Resurrection, when we read the Gospel accounts of this marvelous event, there's an important lesson we must not miss.

Remember.

"Why do you seek the living among the dead?  He is not here, but has risen.  Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise."  (Luke 24:6-7 ESV)

Remember.

That's an important lesson, wouldn't you agree?

Remember.

It's easy to follow Jesus, to serve Him, to be joyful, when everything in life is good.  When there's plenty of money in your checking account and all the bills are paid.  When you're healthy.  When there's no stress.

We tend to get forgetful when things are not going so well.  When the bills are piling up.  When there's too much month and not enough money.  When there's sickness and stress and anxiety and worry.  When relationships are strained.  When we're worried about our job.  When life happens.

But it's at those times that we most need to remember.

In the immediate context of the passage in Luke, the angel is telling the women not to be worried because the body of Jesus is no longer in the tomb where they expected to find it.  Remember what He said.  Remember that He told you He would rise from the grave.  Remember.

There's a broader application for us as well.  Here in the 21st century, just as back in the first century, we need to remember what He said.  We need to continually remind ourselves of His words.  We need His words written on our hearts.

How do we do that?  By taking time to be in the Word.  The written Word of God is a great gift for us, and we need to treat it as the great gift that it is - the written revelation of God.  We need to read it.  To study it.  To treasure it.

Knowing the Word, being able to call it to mind, remembering the Word, takes more than a few quick minutes here and there.  It takes time.  We must be intentional about spending time in the Word.  Intentional about reading it.  Intentional about studying it. Intentional about committing it to our memory.

Then, when life gets tough, as it inevitably will, we can remember.

"Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name!  Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits."  (Psalm 103:1-2 ESV, emphasis mine)