Necessary Reminders
Reminding one another of things we might otherwise forget is a necessary part of life.
“Don’t forget, Thursday we’ve got dinner with the Smiths,” or, “Your lunch is in the fridge, don’t forget to take it with you.”
We know full well about the dinner date and we’re the one who made the sandwich, but forgetful creatures that we are, it’s nice to be reminded rather than stand up the Smiths or go hungry at noon, right?
The Apostle Peter admits that he’s repeating himself, reminding Believers of biblical truths they already know.
And the reason he does this (and promises to keep on doing this) is because we need to be reminded of truths our sinful nature would rather forget!
And trust me, these things are more important than a forgotten lunch or friends checking their watches sitting alone at Olive Garden.
When it comes to eternal truths, we can never be reminded too often; these are things that safeguard our souls.
I mean, think of how often we lose our cool, or have a lapse in faith, or cave to temptation, or forget to be thankful, or cut someone down.
It’s not that we don’t know what’s expected of us as Christians, it’s that we have bouts of spiritual amnesia, especially in the heat of the moment, when reminders have been few and far between.
The default setting in the human heart always goes back to self interest, so without constant reminders, we get a little fuzzy in our thinking and a little careless in our behavior.
That’s why we need the daily discipline of reading the Word and praying–our souls need continual refreshing and reminding.
And that’s also why we gather weekly on the Lord’s Day to hear His Word, sing His praises, and have our memories refreshed. We congregate to be reminded (and remind ourselves) of the truth (we already know) but constantly are forgetting.
Just like Peter had done.
He forgot Jesus’ warning to him earlier that fateful evening: “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Matthew 26:41). And then he denied the Lord and the rooster crowed…
And how about King Solomon?
He forgot his own proverb: “A man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls” (Proverbs 25:28). Poor guy, he had a thing for the ladies and finished poorly, didn’t he?
And then there’s Jonah.
He conveniently forgot he was supposed to go to Nineveh, but the Lord sent a reminder to help him get back on track. And from within the belly of that great fish he prayed: “When my life was ebbing away, I remembered you, Lord, and my prayer rose to you, to your holy temple” (Jonah 2:7).
You see?
We forget.
And if Bible heroes need reminding of the truth, how much more you and I?
And it’s these very same truths that keep us on the straight and narrow path that leads to life!
So what about today?
Have you been reminded (through the Word of God) that time is short, the world is passing away, and Christ our Lord is standing at the door?
