Thanks For The Memory

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2010
Saturday
17
April
Daily Devotional
Thanks For The Memory
By Bishop Vashti McKenzie
This week's topic: The Church


There are times when problem-solution scenarios seem so simple. The psalmist simply says: it’s deep out here. It’s dark. It’s real, but we can still sing unto the Lord. We can move forward, pick ourselves up, pull our pouting lips back, by remembering the previous times of our Lord’s faithfulness in our lives.


In Psalm 13, David wondered how long would his enemies prevail. He prayed and remembered God’s unfailing love. In remembering, he broke out in song and praise. A simple formula!

Ancient writers wrote that by remembering, “God is a profound form of prayer that eventually transforms us and all of our relationships.” There are times when remembering is hard to do, especially when it’s deep, dark and real. This is where a testifying Christ-centered, bible-believing, Holy Spirit filled and led community comes in.

The church is an intentional community that helps us with the remembering. Remembering comes when we totally give ourselves in acts of worship. Persistent problems can extract interest on trouble before it is due. It can constantly drain the energy God gives us to face daily challenges.

Remembering comes when we encounter people who may have been where we have been, and walked where we walked. The church provides an opportunity to be in fellowship with people who care and value us. We are in the midst of those who are still a work in progress, like us, in community where we feel accepted and loved.

Remembering comes when we learn, develop and practice our spiritual disciplines of prayer, praise, study, fasting and worship. The church provides the training ground for growing these spiritual muscles to handle the deep, dark and real situations.

Remembering comes when an intentional community, the church, affirms us. The church helps us see that we matter to God. In spite of our current stumbling or circumstances, God is still a present help in time of trouble. We learn that what is deep, dark and real in our lives does not define us. This community points again to the faithfulness of God even when there is sorrow, sickness, pain or failings. This community empowers us with opportunities to serve and be served, and encourages us through their own testimonies of healing.

The church of Jesus Christ is the best example of an intentional remembering community. Prayer, praise, word, worship and witness – all help us to remember God. In the remembering, we are transformed.
David promises to give God formal thanks, and the intentional community becomes crucial to the healing process in deep, dark and real times. Trust God’s unfailing love and in due season you shall reap if you faint not.

Forsake not thyself from the assembling of believers. Be a part of God’s intentional community. Don’t let anything or any deep, dark, real or unreal personalities keep you away from worship. Don’t let your Saturday night mess up the Lord’s Sunday morning.

Scripture For The Day: “How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? But I have trusted in your steadfast love” - Psalm 13:1,5


Bishop Vashti Murphy McKenzie is the presiding bishop of the 13th Episcopal District of the AME, and serves as a guiding example for women and church leaders throughout the country. For more on Bishop McKenzie, visit http://www.13thame.com or hear her messages daily at http://www.thisisyourwakeupcallonline.com.…