How Soon We Forget - March 30 Readings: Joshua 3-4, Luke 4:1–15, Psalm 40:1–6, Proverbs 10:1-2

Links to Today's Readings

This is Passion Week; a holy time for believers in which we remember the death and resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. It is the same story this year as it was last year. Jesus died on the Cross to pay for our sins and rose again on the third day as Lord of all. He was exalted to God's right hand where he offers eternal life to those who repent of their sin and trust him.

But it is important to tell the same story year after year. God commanded Israel to annually celebrate a meal to commemorate the first Passover as an act of remembrance. We celebrate the Lord's Supper together as a church repeatedly as an act of remembrance of the body and blood of Christ.

It is good to remember. In fact, God instituted many acts of remembrance for us because we are so prone to forget what he has done for us.

In Joshua 3, God brought Israel through the Jordan River, at flood stage, on dry ground - one of his great miracles. As the men carrying the ark stepped into the river, God stopped the flow and they all went through in safety.

Then, in Joshua 4, God instructed Joshua to set up a remembrance. He sent 12 men, one from each tribe, back into the middle of the river. Each picked up a large rock (imagine the biggest boulder he could carry) and hauled it out to the west side of the river. There, they piled them up as a marker. Why? That is explained in verses 6-7.

When your children ask in time to come, ‘What do those stones mean to you?’ 7 then you shall tell them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord. When it passed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. So these stones shall be to the people of Israel a memorial forever.”

These stones were piled up so that future generations would remember the wonderful works of God.

There will be few "new" things in the celebration of the work of Christ this week. It's the same story its always been. Sacrifice and victory. But just because we've heard it all before, just because we know the story, doesn't mean we do not need to remember it once again. We can so easily forget that our entire existence is rooted in the work of Christ and the grace he gives. We can forget the meaning, purpose and importance of the Cross and the Empty Tomb.

So we remember. We tell the same story we've always told. We sing the same songs. We take the same bread and cup. And we do it joyously, because there is no more important story to tell, no more important truths to remember.

Let us each erect a monument in our own hearts to remember daily what Jesus did. May we never forget!

Father, tell me the old, old story of Jesus. Write on my heart every word. Tell me the story most precious, sweetest that ever was heard. May I never forget.