God will remember the covenant He has made, not to destroy the earth again by floodwaters. “And I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no longer become a flood to destroy all flesh. 16 And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth” (Gen. 9:15-16).
God will remember the covenant He made with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. “Then will I remember my covenant with Jacob, and also my covenant with Isaac, and also my covenant with Abraham will I remember; and I will remember the land” (Lev. 26:42).
Consider.
It is not wrong in prayer to remind God of the covenant He has made. This becomes a strong basis of appeal for the desires of the heart. “Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, thy servants, to whom thou swarest by thine own self, and saidst unto them, I will multiply your seed as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have spoken of will I give unto your seed, and they shall inherit it forever” (Ex. 32:13).
God will remember acts of treachery. They will not go unchallenged or unpunished. “Thus saith the LORD of hosts, I remember that which Amalek did to Israel, how he laid wait for him in the way, when he came up from Egypt. Rom 12:19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord” (1 Sam. 15:2).
God will remember the early seeking of Him. “Go and cry in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, Thus saith the LORD; I remember thee, the kindness of thy youth, the love of thine espousals, when thou wentest after me in the wilderness, in a land that was not sown” (Jer. 2:2).
God will remember, and will visit in judgment sin that is unrepented and unforsaken. “And Joshua said unto the people, Ye cannot serve the LORD: for he is an holy God; he is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions nor your sins. …Thus, saith the LORD unto this people, Thus have they loved to wander, they have not refrained their feet, therefore the LORD doth not accept them; he will now remember their iniquity, and visit their sins” (Joshua 24:19; Jer. 14:10).
God will remember to make a new covenant with His people. “But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. 34 And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD; for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more. … Nevertheless, I will remember my covenant with thee in the days of thy youth, and I will establish unto thee an everlasting covenant” (Jer. 31:33-34; Ezek. 16:6)).
As God remembers, so Christians are to remember certain matters.
Christians are to remember their spiritual heritage. “And Moses said unto the people, Remember this day, in which ye came out from Egypt, out of the house of bondage; for by strength of hand the LORD brought you out from this place: there shall no leavened bread be eaten” (Ex. 13:3).
Christians are to remember to keep the Sabbath day holy. “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy” (Ex. 20:8).
Christians are to remember the LORD God Himself. “But thou shalt remember the LORD thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day. …. Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God” (Deut. 8:18; Psalms 20:7).
During days of national calamity, and warfare, Christians are to remember the Lord, and then fight to protect heart, hearth and home. “And I looked, and rose up, and said unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, Be not ye afraid of them: remember the Lord, which is great and terrible, and fight for your brethren, your sons, and your daughters, your wives, and your houses” (Neh. 4:14).
Christians are to remember how past transgressions provoke the Lord to anger. “Remember, and forget not, how thou provokedst the LORD thy God to wrath in the wilderness: from the day that thou didst depart out of the land of Egypt, until ye came unto this place, ye have been rebellious against the LORD” (Deut. 9:7).
Christians are to remember the treachery, and hostile acts of others at times, in order to make prudent decisions about future relationships. “Remember what Amalek [a chieftain of an Edomite tribe] did unto thee by the way, when ye were come forth out of Egypt” (Deut. 25:17).
Consider.
Amalek and the Amalekites attacked the Hebrews without provocation or cause. Moses predicted God would continually wage war against them (Ex 17:14-16), which He did in the days of Joshua.
Christians are to remember their cultural and spiritual history. “Remember the days of old, consider the years of many generations: ask thy father, and he will shew thee; thy elders, and they will tell thee” (Deut. 32:7). Succeeding generations should say, “We have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us, what work thou didst in their days, in the times of old” (Psalm 44:1).
Christians are to remember the Word of God through the lips of His prophets. “Remember the word which Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, saying, The LORD your God hath given you rest, and hath given you this land” (Joshua 1:13).
Christians are to remember the great acts of divine miracles and righteous judgments of the Lord. “Remember his marvellous works that he hath done, his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth” (1 Chron. 16:12).
Christians are to remember the days of old and mediate on the works of God. “I remember the days of old; I meditate on all thy works; I muse on the work of thy hands” (Psalms 143:5).
Christians are to remember the love of God. “Draw me, we will run after thee: the king hath brought me into his chambers: we will be glad and rejoice in thee, we will remember thy love more than wine: the upright love thee” (Song of Sol. 1:4).
Christians are to remember the uniqueness of God. “Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me” (Isaiah 46:9).
Christians are to remember past acts of divine faithfulness in providing for daily needs. “Do ye not yet understand, neither remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets ye took up?” (Matt. 16:9).
Christians are to remember Lot’s wife. “Remember Lot’s wife” (Luke 17:32).
Christians are to remember the doctrinal teachings of the Lord Jesus. “He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee, …20 Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. …4 But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them. And these things I said not unto you at the beginning, because I was with you” (Luke 24:6; John 15:20; 16:4).
Christians are to remember the death of Christ often. “And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me” (Luke 22:19).
Christians are to remember the sufferings of others. “Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body” (Heb. 13:3).
Christians are to remember to have respect for, and submit to those who rule in the church. “Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation” (Heb. 13:7).
Christians are to remember and study the apostolic writings. “But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Jude 17).
Christians who have backslidden are to remember the exalted position from which they have fallen and repent. “Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent” (Rev. 2:5).
Christians who are living an inconsistent. and hypocritical life, are to remember all the grace and goodness, and bible doctrine they have received and heard. “Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee” (Rev. 3:3).
Sometimes the people of God remember events and circumstances in an unrealistic manner. When they were upset with the food, they had to eat the people complained to Moses saying in “We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlic” (Num. 11:5). Because it is possible for perception to become a reality the heart must be guarded to stay close to the truth.
In a spirit of humility, it is not wrong to plead with the Lord to remember to show grace and mercy.
Samson pleaded for the Lord to remember him, and bless him with strength. “And Samson called unto the LORD, and said, O Lord GOD, remember me, I pray thee, and strengthen me, I pray thee, only this once, O God, that I may be at once avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes” (Judges 16:28).
Hannah pleaded with the Lord to remember her, and bless her with a child. “And she vowed a vow, and said, O LORD of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the LORD all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head” (1 Sam. 1:11).
King Hezekiah pleaded with the Lord to remember, and to extend his life. “I beseech thee, O LORD, remember now how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight. And Hezekiah wept sore” (2 Kings 20:3).
King Solomon pleaded with the Lord to remember the past mercies promised to his father David, and bless his own reign. “O LORD God, turn not away the face of thine anointed: remember the mercies of David thy servant” (2 Chron. 6:42).
Nehemiah pleaded with the Lord to remember his good deeds, and bless him again. “Remember me, O my God, concerning this, and wipe not out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God, and for the offices thereof” (Neh. 13:14).
Job pleaded with the Lord to remember how fragile he had been made. “Remember, I beseech thee, that thou hast made me as the clay; and wilt thou bring me into dust again?” (Job 10:9).
David pleaded with the Lord to remember His own attributes of mercy and kindness. “Remember, O LORD, thy tender mercies and thy loving kindnesses; for they have been ever of old” (Psalms 25:6).
The psalmist pleaded with the Lord to remember the people He had purchased by a great work of redemption. “Remember thy congregation, which thou hast purchased of old; the rod of thine inheritance, which thou hast redeemed; this mount Zion, wherein thou hast dwelt” (Psalms 74:2).
Special prayer is asked that the Lord will remember that foolish individuals had dared to blasphemy His holy name. “Remember this, that the enemy hath reproached, O LORD, and that the foolish people have blasphemed thy name” (Psalms 74:18).
The Lord is asked to remember how short time is for mortals. “Remember how short my time is: wherefore hast thou made all men in vain?” (Psalms 89:47).
The Lord is asked to remember when the heart carries the best interest of others and still there is suffering for righteousness’s sake. “Remember, Lord, the reproach of thy servants; how I do bear in my bosom the reproach of all the mighty people” (Psalms 89:50).
The Lord is asked to remember the treachery of individuals who should have helped but sought to hurt as the Edomites moved to destroy the Hebrews. “Remember, O LORD, the children of Edom in the day of Jerusalem; who said, Rase it, rase it, even to the foundation thereof” (Psalms 137:7).
The Lord is asked not to disgrace His throne by turning it from a throne of grace and mercy to a throne of utter destruction. “Do not abhor [hate] us, for thy name’s sake, do not disgrace the throne of thy glory: remember, break not thy covenant with us” (Jer. 14:21).
Habakkuk pleaded with the Lord to remember to have mercy. “O LORD, I have heard thy speech, and was afraid: O LORD, revive thy work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make known; in wrath remember mercy” (Hab. 3:2).
The dying thief pleaded with the Lord to be allowed to enter into the kingdom. “And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom” (Luke 23:42).
“There is a fountain filled with blood drawn from Emmanuel’s veins;
And sinners plunged beneath that flood lose all their guilty stains.
Lose all their guilty stains, lose all their guilty stains;
And sinners plunged beneath that flood lose all their guilty stains.The dying thief rejoiced to see that fountain in his day;
And there have I, though vile as he, washed all my sins away.
Washed all my sins away, washed all my sins away;
And there have I, though vile as he, washed all my sins away.”—William Cowper
As appeals are made for God to remember certain matters, so an appeal is made for the Lord not to remember other events.
God is asked not to remember youthful sins or more mature transgressions. “Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions: according to thy mercy remember thou me for thy goodness’ sake, O LORD. Psalms 79:8 O remember not against us former iniquities: let thy tender mercies speedily prevent us: for we are brought very low” (Psalms 25:7).
God has promised that He will blot out, and not remember the sins of the saints. “I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins” (Isaiah 43:25).
Spiritual healing and blessing come to those who remember.
The heart of the psalmist was encouraged when he remembered the Lord. “O my God, my soul is cast down within me: therefore, will I remember thee…” (Psalms 42:6).
In days of adversity, it is good to remember the formers years of God’s great goodness and grace. “And I said, This is my infirmity: but I will remember the years of the right hand of the most High. 11 I will remember the works of the LORD: surely I will remember thy wonders of old” (Psalms 77:10, 11).
Great mercy is promised to those who remember the commandments of the Lord, and keep them. “But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children’s children; 18 To such as keep his covenant, and to those that remember his commandments to do them” (Psalms 103:17, 18).
Some spiritual souls would rather suffer and die, than not remember the goodness of God. “If I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth; if I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy” (Psalms 137:6).
An appeal is made to young people to remember the Lord. “Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them (Eccl. 12:1).
In heaven and in hell the memory is not extinguished. Individuals are called upon to remember the good or the evil they have done. “But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented” (Luke 16:25).
