Daily devotional, January 29, 2023 Faith-filled flashbacks
"He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart."
Psalm 91:4
I am from the generation that relied on betamax and VHS rewinders. The TV I grew up watching did not come with a remote that had a rewind button. If I wanted to see or hear again what the show host had to say, I had no option to rewind it, and there is no way I could ever see it again unless there is a replay telecast of that show.
Today’s generation is more fortunate on the matter. They can afford to not pay attention too much to what the weather guy is saying because if it concerns them and they missed it, they can just rewind it and listen to what has been said.
As Christians, we are being encouraged to use that rewind button in our minds whenever we feel daunted and overwhelmed with the challenges we are facing. We are asked to remember God’s faithfulness in our lives that brought us to where we are now.
Moses called on his people to not succumb to fear when faced with adversaries. And his often advice to them is to look back into the times God has carried them through as a people. The following passage from the Book of Deuteronomy, is one of the instances he encouraged the Israelites to remember God’s faithfulness:
"But do not be afraid of them; remember well what the Lord your God did to Pharaoh and to all Egypt. You saw with your own eyes the great trials, the signs and wonders, the mighty hand and outstretched arm, with which the Lord your God brought you out. The Lord your God will do the same to all the peoples you now fear." Deuteronomy 7:18-19
In the New Testament, St. Paul likewise encouraged the Hebrews to take heart because God in Jesus Christ is unchanging. If He is benevolent then, He will continue to be that immutable and benevolent God that He is. That we can trust that He will deliver us today as He has delivered us in the past:
"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever"
Hebrews 13:8
When our fears paralyze us, we should always remember that our God is a covenant-keeping God. He does not change His mind. He will go through deep waters with us. The only time He reconsiders his past pronouncements is when we ask for mercy for our sins and we change our ways.
"The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness." Lamentations 3:22-23
And if there is anything that our Lord forgets, it is our iniquities once have asked Him for forgiveness, and repented from them. He blots it all out, He casts it behind His back, and makes us a brand new person ready for the good plans He has long in store for us:
“I, I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins."
Isaiah 43:25
So when we feel like we are so weak, that we succumb to our fears, worries and anxieties, all we need to do is to look back. Watch a flash back of the goodness of God in our lives. Let it strengthen you, let it make you feel confident that you can endure and that He will never leave your side.
Remember the times He has rescued you from the crises you have faced, the emergencies you have been involved in, from the sins you have been chained to. He will never change, and we can always claim this promise for always.
Thank you for reading through our devotional today. I invite you to ponder on Deuteronomy 7:17-25 to dig deeper on today’s topic.
Reflection Question: Are you facing challenges you think you cannot handle? How can remembering the Lord’s goodness to you and your family keep you strong?
Conversation with the Lord: Heavenly Father, thank you for always being faithful to me in spite of my failures, weaknesses, and doubts. Help me remember everything you have done for me before so that I could face my present challenges, in a way that honors you. Amen.