The Spiritual Discipline of Remembering

When life is troubled it is important to remember. If one does not use one's memory life will be extremely difficult. In Asaph's 77th Psalm, one finds Asaph, again, like in his 73rd, deeply struggling with the attributes of God in the midst of trouble (77:2). The questions Asaph asks of God are questions about God's character, questions that call God's very attributes into question (77:7-9):

"Will God reject His people forever?"
"Will God never be favorable again?"
"Has He ceased being loving and kind?"
"Are God's promises even true? They seem to have ended forever."
"Has God forgotten to be gracious?"
"Has God stopped being compassionate because He is angry?" (my paraphrase)

Asaph challenges God's favor, God's presence with His people, God's love, God's faithfulness to His promises, God's grace, and God's compassion. So what does Asaph do, and what should the reader of the Psalm's do when they feel this way?

Remember.

"I shall remember the deeds of the Lord;
Surely I will remember Your wonders of old.
I will meditate on all Your work
And muse on Your deeds." (77:11-12)

Asaph remembers because currently life has dealt him blows by which He questions the nearness of God. God seems distant and different. All that remains is memory of what God has done. What is remembered is what is "old."

Remembering is an important spiritual discipline, sometimes, it is all one has.

What specifically does Asaph remember?

"You have by Your power redeemed Your people,
The sons of Jacob and Joseph." (77:15)

Asaph remembers that God's people, Israel, have been redeemed. They have been brought out of slavery into freedom. After years of slavery under an oppressive Pharaoh God delievered His people from Egypt. Asaph remembers God's redemption of Israel.

God's people are to remember God's rescue of them. Remember Egypt and Exodus. Satan has been defeated at the cross, and is no longer one's Master. One was in slavery to sin, and now, the Passover Lamb, Jesus, has died in the place of sinners, and has brought sinners to God and out of Egypt.

Remember the Gospel of redemption when you feel as if the loving, compassionate, faithful, gracious, "I am with you always" God is unloving, disapproving, without compassion, unfaithful, angry, and far away. Remember those times when you did feel as if you had been "led...like a flock" by a caring Shepherd (77:20).

Remembering is for endurance. Endurance is the Christian life, and the very impulse of endurance arises when God's presence in your life is called into question. God has not forgotten to be gracious to you. If you are trusting the Gospel of Jesus Christ, Jesus is your Shepherd, and He has promised that you will not be snatched out of His hand (Jn. 10:28). Sheep wander, but the best Shepherd never loses a sheep.

Endure by remembering.