Remember Me

Remember Me

July 8, 2019

Psalm 106:4  "Remember me, Lord, when you show favor to your people, come to my aid when you save them."

The Lord knows when a sparrow falls from the sky. That is a familiar phrase from Scripture. It was actually Jesus speaking, and comparing our worth as humans to that of a small sparrow. A small sparrow is insignificant, not able to be counted in a flock of birds. You've seen thousands of small birds in the sky, in a giant swarm, almost appearing as a swarm of bees. If one of those small birds is taken out of the count, would you even notice? Jesus said the Lord would notice and in fact if the Lord desires that specific sparrow to stay in the flock, it could not fall. If a sparrow does fall out of that flock of birds, the Lord is more than aware, involved even. Jesus said we are far more valuable than those teeny birds, to the Lord, and He knows about everything that goes on. Not only is the Lord aware of us, but we are valuable to Him.

The Lord knows all, sees all, certainly you. Do you ever think that the Lord has forgotten you? In readying the psalms, the writers are often deeply vulnerable, exposing their feelings and the fullest raw portions of their humanity. In Psalm 106, David was confessing on behalf of the entire nation of Israelites. He asked the Lord to remember them. Specifically, he was repenting of the nation's sins and begging the Lord to remember them when it was time to save everyone. Fast forward to the death of Jesus on the cross, the moment of salvation and there was a sinner on a cross next to Him. The sinner acknowledged and confessed his sin, then asked Jesus to remember him when it was time to save. Neither men, David or the sinner on the cross, needed to use the phrase, "remember me." How could the Lord forget? Both of those men, and all the Children of Israel, were valuable to Him.

When you and I have items of value, we do not forget them. Parents understand this well, a child is not easily forgotten. When I prepare a meal for my children, the middle child does not have to say, "remember me" as I'm setting enough plates for the family or in making sure there is enough food. How could I forget my own son? If I love my son, and he is valuable to me, forgetting is not something I could do. Similarly, the Lord remembers you at all times. But like the psalmist, sometimes we think the Lord has forgotten us. If we fear the Lord has forgotten us, then we have devalued ourselves, perceiving ourselves unworthy of His love. As humans, it is difficult to understand the love of the Father, since we can only love as humans love. But He loves us with a supernatural love that we cannot understand. He does not approve of our sin, but He loves us nonetheless, not able to forget us. Maybe judging by your own sin, you think that has now made you unlovable and must beg the Lord to remember you once again.  He loves you, knowing your sin, and has not forgotten you.  

If you think the Lord no longer remembers you, the correct prayer is not to beg the Lord to remember you, rather remind you of His love for you. The Lord neither forgets us or stops loving us, we simply lose sight of how much He loves us. If you think the Lord has forgotten you, ask Him to remind you how much He loves you. 

Don't take my word for it; look it up: Ps 138:1-18, Ps 139:2, Job 23:8, Matt 10:29-31, Lk 23:42