There is a story in the Bible about the Israelites crossing the Jordan River. As they are crossing, God tells them to gather 12 rocks, one for each of the tribes. The rocks are to serve as a reminder. Because God knows our propensity to forget. The Bible is in fact full of celebrations and feasts that are meant to serve as reminders. The biggest one we still observe today is communion. A reminder. Because we forget. It is actually quite terrible how easily we forget God's provision and faithfulness. The situation or crisis passes and the memory of how God was present in the midst of it all fades. So, we need to be more deliberate in reminding ourselves. Of remembering.
I am trying to be grateful every day for God's faithfulness. That doesn't mean that my life has been without any hardship. But in recalling how good God has been in the past helps me to trust Him in the future. Besides, it's in the difficult situations that I have felt the love of God more acutely than during the sunny carefree days. He has been so faithful through job loss, Emmi's traumatic birth, Pentti's cancer, my dad's cancer and death, multiple surgeries, my brother Tim's multiple life and death situations, I could go on and on. And I am sure that there are countless times and ways that God has been present and I haven't even realized it. So today, I am remembering and I am grateful.
