The night before Jesus died, he told the disciples that the Holy Spirit would “teach [them] all things and bring to remembrance all that He had said to [them].”
Days later, when the bewildered women came to his empty tomb, two angels exhorted them saying, “‘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.’ And they remembered his words.” (Luke 24).
After Jesus’ ascension, the Holy Spirit reminded the disciples of all Jesus had told them and unveiled mysteries they had heard but not understood so that they could preach His words to thousands! (Acts 2). In the years that followed, the Spirit brought more to the disciples’ remembrance so they could record it in the New Testament.
The Holy Spirit “brings to remembrance” things He has told and shown you too.
God knows the lessons stored in your heart. During prayer and Bible reading, He will bring applicable bits of your unique story to your remembrance. He will remind you of: Bible verses you’ve read, one-liners you heard in sermons, concepts you grasped in small group studies, epiphanies you had from influential conversations, hopes you discovered in song lyrics, truths you found in metaphors and experiences that stand like mile markers in your life. God is so eager to enter this conversation with you. He can add to your joy and answer your questions and strengthen your will and comfort your soul by “bringing to your remembrance” things He has told you and shown you before.
ENTRY-STARTER.
God brings little things to my remembrance often as I read the Bible and journal. I follow His lead and write down all that He brings to my mind. One morning last September, after I read about the women in the empty tomb, I tried something new. I asked the Holy Spirit to remind me of big things He had told me. Then I waited. And He answered. My pen could barely keep up with the flood of memories. I wrote through tears and giggles for an hour. My faith swelled and my gratitude overflowed. Now, God reminds me of that experience often to strengthen and comfort me. And the list of certitudes is bookmarked in my journal for me to admire on good days and cling to on hard ones.
I invite you do the same. Sit down in a quiet place with your journal and ask Him to remind you of things He wants to you to remember, then wait. Use Luke 24 as a template, “Remember when He told you __________. I remember His words.”
EXAMPLE.
Here I share part of my list (some is too personal to post). This list is unique to me and there is a long story behind each line. God has spoken to you through different memories.
REMEMBER HOW HE TOLD YOU…
Remember how He told you He likes you? That He really likes you? I remember His words.
Remember how He told you that you are beautiful, that you are pure as gold? I remember His words.
Remember when He rescued you? When He lifted you high upon a rock, when He pulled you out of murky depths, when He handed you a sword and told you to fight and taught you to be a watchmen? I remember.
Remember when He told you to stay quiet, to rest, to receive, to keep, to wait and to be? And remember when He told you to speak? I remember.
Remember when He held you? When He promised to hold you always? Yes. When He sent His comfort and peace and zeal? When you laid in the hospital bed and asked to be filled with overwhelming joy and He overwhelmed you? When David laid hands on you and the Holy Spirit filled you like a cup! I remember! I remember!
Remember when he gave you a painting and imparted a promise? When He sent you counsel and delivered the promise? When He turned your sighing and flinching into dancing? When He dumped out the basin that He washed your dirty feet in? And you finally rounded the bend in the prodigal son’s road? And you stepped into the throne room and sat down at His feet, never to leave it again. When He set a flowery crown on your head and dressed you in fine linen and pearls? When you left the stage and danced like a ballerina daughter for her daddy in the kitchen? Yes, I will always remember.
Remember when He called you a tree and said you’d grow roots down deep and become sturdy and shady for others to lean on and sit under? Remember when He told you that you are a dammed pool with water deepening and widening as your capacity through Him grows? When He said to let yourself be nurtured by the nurturer and thus overflow? When He said the measure would be shaken down and poured into your lap? I remember.
Remember when He remade you into a nurturer? When He sent mothers to model motherhood for you and to encourage you into it. When you asked Him to change your ambitious heart and He did. Yes. Remember when He told you to have more children? When He promised to make you enough for them and that He would be enough for you? Remember when He held your children’s hands and told you lay down control and let go of worry? Honestly, I struggle to remember.
Remember when He told you to move? To get some land. To plant trees and flowers and work hard. To do hospitality there. To mother each child individually, then He showed you parts of their hearts to tend and whenever you asked, He revealed more? I remember.
Remember when he told you that you and your husband would be a team? And He commanded you to pray into it? When he told Sue to remind you that you would be a team and sent David to remind you again? Yes.
Remember how he told you through Psalms that you would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living, that He would establish your steps, that He would bring you into a broad place and your feet would not slip? I do remember His words.
Bible verses referenced: Ps 27:5, Ps 40:20, Ps 18:31-39, Ps 130:6, Jn 13:4-7, Lk 15:20, Eph 3:16-21, Is 61, Ps 23:5, Lk 6:38, Ps 27:13, Ps 18:36 and others.
Other influences referenced: The Life You Long For a book by Christy Nockels and her lullaby Always Remember to Never Forget, The Instead a painting by Lori Lincks along with Is 61, Practicing the Presence of God an old book by brother Lawrence along with experiences in a hospital bed, The Weight of Glory an essay by C.S. Lewis, gradual lessons about motherhood and nurturing
