God said to Moses, “I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I am has sent me to you.’” God also said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites, ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you.’ This is my name forever, the name you shall call me from generation to generation.”
Exodus 3:14-15
Dear HBIC Family,
I feel like I have been remembering to remember for weeks on end. It may be because 2020 finally ended and we moved on to 2021, and oftentimes a new year brings a season of reflection and reaction to the year that just was. It could also be because I have been noticing the word “remember” a lot. It’s showing up in Bible study, books I’m reading, things I’m watching or songs I have been listening to. All in all, I have increasingly noticed the Spirit’s whisper calling us to remember.
When we remember, we recall, we emphasize and we commemorate. Remembering is more than memories. It is recounting experiences, events, and moments. My favorite kind of remembering is thinking of people in my life. The memories, experiences, events, and moments are good because of the people they call back to my mind. Remembering is a spiritual discipline as well. By remembering, we recall God’s faithfulness, we are refreshed in the knowledge of God’s goodness, and we are pacified because the God of all creation loves us.
Throughout Scripture, God consistently calls followers to remember. We see these calls in God telling people to remember who God was, is, and will be. God wants us to remember what God has done, when God has saved, why God has loved us, where God has blessed us and how God has carried us through. We must remember because it is so easy to forget. We must remember because it helps us to hold on. We must remember because it takes our eyes off of ourselves and present situations and places them firmly on to God.
This week, we will begin a new sermon series simply entitled Remembrance. This series will have two parts. Before lent, we will focus on calls to remember in the Old Testament. After Lent, we will look at calls to remember in the New Testament. To prepare for this week’s service, I would like to invite you to read and meditate on Exodus 3, specifically verses 1-15. To help you reflect, I would like to ask you to focus on the following questions:
What do you remember about your first real interaction with God?
Can you recall one way God was gracious to your family before you were even born?
God is reintroduced to Moses by sharing his name and story. What name of God helps tell the story of his faithfulness to you?
God promises to be with us. How has God been with you today, this week, this month and this past year?
God wants followers to know that we worship the One who was, the One who is and the One who forever will be. God’s existence does not depend on anything or anyone. God’s name is forever. His name is to be praised. God’s work is multi-generational. The God of our ancestors is the Lord of Lords and the King of all Creation. The Ancient One is the God who is on our side. Though limited to our finite sense and sensibilities, the Eternal One loves us, is made known to us and calls us to join in making “on earth as it is in heaven.”
The name of God is a gift to us and we are blessed to be included in God’s story. Praise be to God’s name. Praise be from all the earth. Praise be from all who know God’s rescue and mercy.
God bless you all, and take care.
Love in Christ,
Pastor Hank
(Exodus 3:14-15)
P: (717) 561-2170, ext. 104
E: pastorhank@harrisburgbic.org
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