Monday, June 6, 2011

Remembered by God

The Israelites groaned in their slavery and cried out, and their cry for help because of their  slavery went up to God. God heard their groaning and he remembered his covenant with  Abraham, with Isaac and with Jacob. So God looked on the Israelites and was concerned about
them.
Exodus 2:23b-25

I am always reading a book. I read at night to relax before I fall asleep. If I don’t like
a book, I’ll put it aside and grab a new one. If I really like a book, I have a hard time putting
it down until it is finished. The house if scattered with books in various stages of completion.
What you will find in each of these books is a picture; usually a baby picture of one of my
children.

There are several reasons that I use my children’s pictures as book marks. The photo
might be from a particularly fond moment. It might include a long-lost friend. But usually it is
just a reminder to me of babyhood.

Three of my four children are teenagers. If you have teenagers, you know what I am
experiencing. If not, try to remember what those years were like for you. Friend obsessed, self-
absorbed, busy, emotional, listening to loud music, paying very close attention to the opposite
sex…it’s a crazy time of life. It can be wonderful and horrible all at once. Now, what memories
do you have of your parents during the time you were going through those years. Rule makers,
food providers, ones who generally embarrassed you to death and ruined your life.

Actually, now that we are parents, our perspective of our own parents has changed
dramatically. But there are times with my teenagers that I feel like all I do is make and enforce
rules, turn down music, provide food (at all hours of the day) and listen to the “you’re ruining
my life” door slam. This is why I keep baby pictures as book marks. When the house is quiet,
I remember what it was like to hear their baby talk. I remember their first steps. I think about
pudgy hands reaching up to me. They used to want to show me everything and tell me excitedly
about everything.

I wonder if God keeps baby pictures of me nearby. Actually, He doesn’t need any help
remembering His love and His promises to us. Our cries of help reach up to Him, even when we
don’t know how to ask. His ultimate act of salvation came in the form of his own son taking our
punishment for sin. The one who never rebelled, never stomped his foot in defiance, went to the
cross for all of us. Our bonus gift is that God still listens to our cries and worries and comforts
us with tender love and compassion.

Dear Lord, thank you for remembering your promises to us. Thank you for sending
your salvation in spite of our rebellion. Thank you for the reassurance that your love for me and
for all people has no limits and no boundaries. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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