I remember sitting in school staring at the clock.  The teacher was fully engrossed in the lesson, completely unaware that the last few remaining seconds were quickly passing by.  In just a few moments, the class would be over and I would be free to start the weekend.  In just a few moments, the class would be over and there wouldn’t be any more opportunities for the teacher to assign any homework.  Who wants homework?  Only that one strange kid who loves to read all the time!  With the last few seconds ticking by the teacher suddenly turns and says “This weekend  I’d like you to _______.”  NOOOOOOO!  They caught the time and have burdened me down with an assignment!  All hope is lost!

Maybe you were the kid who liked homework but I was not.  I was fine with listening and learning in class but once I left the building, I wanted to be done.  Interesting how now all I want to do each Sunday morning is assign homework!  But as any teacher will tell you, it is really important that you do your assignment!

Yesterday, we looked at the story in Joshua 3-4 and saw how the Israelites set up memorials to remember God’s faithfulness.  Years later, when their kids saw these monuments, they would ask what they were for and the stories would be told and memories of God’s amazing acts would be recounted.  These memorials were to help the Israelites remember how God acted on their behalf and how He would always be with them.  To remember the past is to prepare for the future.  And we need to do the same.

If you missed yesterday’s sermon, please take a few minutes and check it out here.  At the close of the sermon, with the seconds ticking away, I assigned some homework: make a list of your memories of God’s faithfulness.  In one way or another, we each need a way to recount how God has come through in the past so we can find renewed strength in Him when life gets hard today.

I know it’s super easy to just ignore the assignment.  You know that I won’t be pulling a red pen out next week to grade it…or will I?  Ok, I really won’t be but pretend that I might.  Pretend that your final grade depends on it  because one day, you will need to look back and remember.  Don’t put it off until later, do it now.  God is faithful!  Spend some time this week listing how He has been faithful to you and then let Him know how grateful you are!

In Christ Alone,

Pastor Jan