Dec
24
Always Remember
Filed Under Devotional
The whole point of celebrating a holiday is to mark an occasion. For events like Independence Day, we are marking a particular day because it is recent enough that we know the exact day. Even events like President’s Day, though, are not on a precise day, but are simply an opportunity to remember specific people or events.
Looking further back, Christmas and Easter are even less about being on the right day as they are about commemorating momentous events in world history. There is all kinds of evidence showing that Jesus would not have been born in December. It doesn’t matter. The date was picked centuries later because the actual date of His birth was lost to history. Again, the key was remembering that He came and why He came.
Growing up in any Western country has made Christmas a part of our tradition and life. Still, that doesn’t mean that we don’t have to work at remembering. No matter how much you think you have it down, consider it again.
“So I will always remind you of these things, even though you know them and are firmly established in truth you now have. I think it is right to refresh your memory as long as I live in the tent of this body, because I know that I will soon put it aside, as our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. And I will make every effort to see that after my departure you will always be able to remember these things.” 2 Peter 1:12-15
Peter is hammering home the truths of Christianity. He knows that these people already know it, but he realizes that they need to have it down cold so they can pass it along to the next generation. Repetition means clarity and accuracy when the story is repeated. These are not vague memories and misinterpretations. He wants them to be able to remember these things clearly after he dies.
As fathers and husbands, we have the same job. If we stand as leaders in the church, we have this job, too. We need to repeat the truths of Christ, Christmas, and Easter over and over with those coming behind us. We need to keep the generational handoff going.
Really remember this holiday. Really remember what you believe and why. Always remember these things.