We've been learning simple rhythms that help us abide in Jesus. We hear His voice through Scripture, talk with Him through prayer, hunger for Him through fasting, give Him our first and best, and gather with His people.
This week, we are called to meditate by remembrance. On the night before His crucifixion, Jesus took bread, broke it, and gave it to His disciples, saying: “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” — Luke 22:19
It's crazy to me that Jesus would give His disciples a command to remember Him. Surely, who He is and what He's done would've been core memory level stuff for the disciples. But He knows something about us: We are prone to forget what matters most. "Prone to wander. Prone to leave the God I love." As the famous hymn sings.
We forget His goodness when life becomes difficult. We forget His promises when anxiety overwhelms us. We forget His grace when we stumble into sin. And we forget His sacrifice when we become distracted by the things of this world.
That's why remembering is such an important rhythm of discipleship. Daily discipleship. Not just when we partake of communion on Sundays.
Throughout Scripture, God repeatedly calls His people to remember who He is and what He has done. Israel remembered their deliverance from Egypt through the Passover. Christians remember our greater deliverance from death by the resurrection of Jesus Christ through the Lord's Supper.
But remembering Jesus isn't limited to the Communion table.
Every day, we need to remind ourselves of the gospel. When guilt tells us we're condemned, we remember that Jesus has paid for our sins. When suffering makes us question God's love, we remember the cross. When pride convinces us that we're doing pretty well on our own, we remember that apart from Jesus we can do nothing.
The gospel isn't merely the message that begins the Christian life. It's the message that sustains the Christian life. And the more we remember what Jesus has done for us, the more our hearts are stirred to treasure Him.
This week: Take time each day to intentionally remember the gospel. Read Luke 22:14–20 or Isaiah 53. Reflect on what Jesus endured to reconcile you to God. Thank Him specifically for His forgiveness, His righteousness, and the new life you've received through Him. And the next time you participate in the Lord's Supper, don't simply go through the motions. Slow down. Examine your heart. Remember the Savior who gave Himself for you.
Pray this simple prayer:
“Jesus, help me never become so familiar with Your grace that I forget the wonder of what You've done for me.”
Don't just remember what Jesus taught. Remember what Jesus has done.