The more that I study the Bible, the more I see the theme of “remembering” pervading through almost all of Scripture. I’m especially seeing this right now in my study through the Old Testament law in Leviticus and Deuteronomy. It is amazing how much of an emphasis God (through Moses) puts on the idea of remembering who He is and what He’s done.

In Deuteronomy, we see this type of language used perhaps more than in any other book. A few examples:

4:9 “Only be careful and watch yourselves closely, so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them slip from your heart as long as you live…”

6:12 “then watch yourself, that you do not forget the Lord who brought you from the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery…”

8:11 “Beware that you do not forget the Lord your God by not keeping His commandments and His ordinances and His statutes which I am commanding you today.”

In these references, Moses directly ties “forgetting” to disobedience.

Why? Why is forgetting who God is and what He’s done such a big deal? This is a question I’m continuing to wrestle with, but here’s what I believe that the Bible teaches.

Remembering what’s true about God and what He’s done leads to obedience. The inverse is true as well. Forgetting what’s true leads to disobedience.

I believe this is why Paul spends the first 2 chapters in books like Ephesians and Colossians focusing his teaching on the believer’s position in Christ, before moving on to addressing behavior in the latter parts of these books. In most of his letters, when Paul does challenge and correct behavior, he does so through reminding people of who they are in Christ (see post “Remember Who You Are”).

So much of the fear, frustration, anxiety, pride, and selfishness in my life is rooted in unbelief that is born out of forgetting the truth. I consciously and subconsciously disregard what the Bible teaches about who God is and what He’s done.

The question that I’m continuing to wrestle with is this: what does it look like to discipline myself to remember what’s true?

If I am not actively disciplining myself to remember what’s true, I will forget. And in forgetting, I will disobey.