The Power of Memory

The above title and the following comments are taken from a blog my son, Brandon, writes for the Oklahoma Christian Academy.  Memories shape the soundtracks of our lives.  All through the Bible we see examples of the power of memory.  In the Old Testament, Israel's national identity originated in their exodus from Egypt.  This event was so important that God instructed them to annually observe the Passover ceremony because He realized that a time would come when a generation would no longer remember the Exodus without a memory aide.  The Passover ceremony was important because it was a reminder of God's faithfulness.  This would create a great object lesson for parents to retell the story of God's faithfulness for generations.
 
Wrapped up in Passover is a memory that God has the power to give hope.  We are moved by the memories of God’s faithfulness (Psalm 105).  God’s people were instructed to raise an Ebenezer (1 Samuel 8:12), a stone of remembrance, where God helped His people.  It was simply a physical marker to help them remember the important life-changing events.  Seeing these stones (Joshua 4:3-9) would remind them of God’s faithfulness, and help them make decisions with God’s faithfulness in mind. As fathers, we are in the business of creating memories.  We should keep before our children the memory of God’s faithfulness.  Let us as parents seek to intentionally create memories for our children that will lead them closer to God and His Kingdom.

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Brandon Tatum