“O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. O give thanks unto the God of gods: for his mercy endureth for ever. O give thanks to the Lord of lords: for his mercy endureth for ever. To him who alone doeth great wonders: for his mercy endureth for ever. To him that by wisdom made the heavens: for his mercy endureth for ever. To him that stretched out the earth above the waters: for his mercy endureth for ever. To him that made great lights: for his mercy endureth for ever: The sun to rule by day: for his mercy endureth for ever: The moon and stars to rule by night: for his mercy endureth for ever….” – Psalm 136 (KJV).
How good is your memory? It probably depends on your definition of “good memory.” Some people have photographic memories and can remember details from 10 years ago. Others may not remember any details from a week ago. Some people only remember the good in their lives while others tend to remember the bad. Memory is very important. It is what connects what has been to what is and gives us a perception of our world as it actually is today.
Psalm 106 talks about the importance of God’s memory and our memory. Psalm 106:1 (KJV) says, “Praise ye the LORD, O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.” We are to remember and be grateful for the mercy God has shown us. We are to thank God for His mercy. Psalm 106 is the memory enhancer for Israel. There are two kinds of memory at play in Psalm 106: one is our lack of memory and the other is God’s never-ending memory. The psalm says in verse 7, “Our fathers understood not thy wonders in Egypt; they remembered not the multitude of thy mercies.” So, Israel did not understand because they did not remember. They had not taken note of what God had done, so they worried about what would happen in the future. Verse 13 says, “They soon forgot his works; they waited not for his counsel.” Why did they not wait for God? Why were they impatient? They had forgotten that God had always taken care of them before. Verse 21 says, “They forgot God their saviour.” Fortunately, God did not forget them.
We all deserve God’s wrath. Our actions should torment us, condemn us, shame us. But they don’t. They won’t. Jesus gives us what we do not deserve in this moment like He has done time and time again in the past and like He will again in the future. Instead of receiving what we deserve, He extends His nail-scarred hands and says, “Come to me.”
So, memory matters. When circumstances are tough, when things are not going the way you wanted them to go, remember the forgiveness of Jesus – paid for, complete, and available. And remember the times you experienced God’s undeserved mercy and grace.
Discussion Questions:
- Would you say you are grateful for God’s mercy on a regular basis?
- What can you do this week to show more gratitude to God?