Psalm 78:35 
They remembered that God was their Rock, 
that God Most High was their Redeemer. (NIV)

Psalm 78:39
He remembered that they were but flesh, 
a passing breeze that does not return. (NIV)

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Memory serves us well. The more we cultivate it, stock it, refresh it, and deploy it, the better it serves us. 

It’s good to have a good memory. The better the memory, the better our success in school, at work, and at home. 

There are some matters we dare not forget. There are some things we know, however, that we seem to forget even when we don’t. For example, Psalm 78 reminds us that Israel had a problem of forgetting who God was. They forgot his nature and character. They forgot his intervention. They forgot that he loved them with an everlasting love, defended them with strength none could oppose, and provided for them every step of their way. 

Pile enough problems on a person or a group, and they will begin looking for help wherever they can find it. There was enough institutional memory for people to eventually find their way back to God. 

They remembered that God was their rock, 
that God Most High was their Redeemer. 

How did God deal with their forgetfulness and their delayed return? 

He remembered that they were but flesh, 
a passing breeze that does not return. 

It’s really good for all of us when we remember who God is and he remembers our true nature. 

One of the high values of spending time alone with God each day, whether it’s early in the morning or in the evening before bedtime, or some other time that we carve out that space in our days, is being reminded of how God has never failed, and how he can do anything but fail. He is always on the job. He is there when we ignore him, when we disobey him, and when we finally return to him. He will never leave us or forsake us. 

It’s good that he is not a capricious God. He does not treat us as our sins deserve. He does not hold us at arm’s length. He does not treat us with contempt when we come in true acknowledgement of our failure and true desire to begin again more intelligently. 

Aren’t you glad God remembers His nature and character when He’s thinking about us? 

Aren’t you glad God remembers His purpose for our lives even when we try every way humanly possible to avoid it? 

Aren’t you glad that He makes a way back into His good graces even when we think we have gone at least one sin too far? 

It’s good to remember who God is and that we belong to him. It’s good to pray simple prayers like, “I belong to you.” It’s good to do this today and every day.

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I will remember God’s goodness, greatness, compassion, and love by refreshing myself on these truths every day. 

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Our Father, thank you that you never forget us and that you never forsake us. Thank you that we belong to you. Thank you for the reminders we need of how kind and merciful you are. Thank you for receiving us when we are at our worst and putting us back on the path toward your highest and best. Amen.