Remembering

I was telling stories today about my time in Africa-- the humorous (and horrible) health stories at first, but then the deeper stories of what God did in my heart and life during that time. As I talked, I was encouraged and challenged, reminded of the faithfulness of God during that time and seeing the events of that summer in a new light now that a few years have passed.

Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name;
make known among the nations what he has done.
Sing to him, sing praise to him;
tell of all his wonderful acts.
Glory in his holy name;
let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice.
Look to the LORD and his strength;
seek his face always.
Remember the wonders he has done, his miracles,
and the judgments he pronounced.
Psalm 105:1-5

The Israelites commemorated God's great work in their lives and in their nation with songs and poems. They would mix those stories in with their words of praise, telling of the Lord bringing them out of Egypt and into the Promised Land, keeping them safe and faithfully guiding them. Their children and grandchildren knew of the goodness of the Lord because they heard the stories over and over again. What are our stories? Where has the Lord's hand been evident in our lives? What will we strive to remember and tell our children and our children's children? How do we remind ourselves?

"In every stage of our lives, nay, in every step, we should notice what God has wrought for us; what he did at such a time, and what in such a place, ought to be distinctly remembered."
-Matthew Henry in his commentary on Numbers 21