REMEMBER

Kelley Nikondeha describes the book of Deut. as three exhortations that work with the rhythm of remembering. Remember where they had come from, remember standing at the foot of Mount Sinai, when they heard The Voice for the first time, remember their covenant, the Ten Commandments—“remember and do not forget”.
Remembering matters…

Moses tells us to remember our story so that we will live well on the other side—that we will live as free people who create communities of freedom for others. And as we remember that God who delivered us from Egypt and sustained us in the wilderness, we will never forget that this God is to be trusted in this new land.

Another theme rising from each sermon she says is—keep fidelity with God, remain loyal to your Deliverer and Covenant Partner, and God’s presence will accompany you. God is worthy of our trust in the wilderness, in the land of promise, and everywhere in between. We can follow with great trust. This is what Moses hopes we will do—choose such a life.

Kelley also reminds us Jesus, who quotes more from Deut. than any other book of the OT, also challenges our decision-making. He invites us to count the cost when we consider following him, to calculate all that’s involved with kingdom living (Lk 14:26-28a). Like Moses, he doesn’t promise an easy path, but God's presence on the other side. God delivers and God sustains. When we are at the edge of a critical choice, remembering these truths is how we choose life.
As this year comes to a close, where are you in your marriage? Are you in the wilderness? In the land of promise? Somewhere in between? Are there truths you need to remember about our Lord as you navigate this journey called marriage? Are you trusting God’s presence with you? January 1 just happened. Are there different life choices you need to make in your marriage as a spouse and as a couple?

Keep fidelity with God, remain loyal to your Deliverer and Covenant Partner—both of them, God the Father and your spouse. May we love the Lord our God with all our hearts, with all our minds, with all our strength and with all our soul. May we trust that God is indeed with us. He has promised, He will never leave us, nor forsake us. May we seek first His kingdom and His righteousness for our marriages. May we humble ourselves and think of others as better than ourselves, not looking out for our own interests, but also to the interests of others, especially that of our spouses; submitting ourselves to one another out of reverence for Christ.

I pray 2021 will indeed be a New Year for all our marriages. God Bless You.