Why is Our Faith Short-Lived? (Part 2)

             In my last blog post, we began to consider the question, why is our faith short-lived?  Peter is a prime example of short-lived faith when he began to sink after taking only a few steps on the water.  The truth is that we are also guilty of too little faith.  The question is, why?  As I said last time, part of it is that we are more concerned with “head knowledge” than “heart knowledge,” but I think there are other reasons as well.

            One of those reasons is that we have short memories.  When it comes to people who have offended us or hurt us, we often remember long after we have tried to forgive. Unfortunately, we don’t often have the same response to those special moments when God touches our lives in mighty ways.  Those we seem to forget way too soon.  Why?

            In the Old Testament, God regularly reminded the Israelites to “remember” what He had done for them.  He challenged them to remember that He had delivered them from slavery in Egypt (Deuteronomy 5: 15), to remember His miracles, wonders, and judgments (I Chronicles 16: 12), to remember that He is the Creator (Ecclesiastes 12: 1), and to remember that He is God, there is no other (Isaiah 46: 8).

Perhaps the most important commandment of remembrance was in Exodus 20: 8 “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy” (NIV84).  That commandment has been practiced by the Jews for centuries.  Each Sabbath day at sunset, they gather to honor that day of rest by abstaining from work.  Keeping the Sabbath is very important to them.  However, freedom from labor is not the only emphasis as they gather for Shabbat each week.  They also take time to remember!  Their focus is on Yahweh and remembering all that He has done for them as a people and in their individual lives.  Remembering is an essential part of their weekly celebration.

As Christians, God has ordained for us a similar time of remembrance.  As Jesus gathered with His disciples shortly before His betrayal and crucifixion, He reminded us of the need for remembrance.  “And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me’” (Luke 22: 19NIV84). The Lord’s Supper should be our focus on remembering.  Unfortunately, many Christians only celebrate it once a month or once a quarter.  Even those who celebrate it weekly often fail to give it the time and focus that it deserves. 

So, how can we as individuals institute a time of remembrance in our lives?  Just as the Holy Scripture records God’s miracles in the lives of the Israelites, we must find a way to not just record but also reflect on the miracles that He does in our lives.  That might look different to each person, but here are some suggestions.  Keep a journal and review it regularly, especially as you give thanks.  Get a jar, and each day write out a blessing and add it to the jar.  When times are difficult and your faith grows short-lived, pull out your “Blessings Jar” and renew your hope. 

God is active in our lives every day.  We just need to find a way to draw our memories back to those special moments.  As we do, I think we’ll find that our faith will grow much stronger.  Take the time to remember God’s faithfulness, and He will help make you more faithful as well.

Exodus 20: 8

Luke 22: 19 - 20

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