The Importance of Remembering

By Victoria Duerstock

As we approach another Easter holiday, we celebrate not just Good Friday, but also the good news of Resurrection Sunday. 

As parents (and grandparents, sisters, and aunts) we need to be sure to remind our children of the importance of these two events in all of our lives.  Without Christ’s death on the cross, there would be no sacrifice just enough to cover our multitude of sins.  Without his resurrection, we would not be able to rest in the assurance that Jesus was exactly who He said He was.  Not just the lion but also the lamb.  Not only God but also a perfect man.  The answer to prophecies foretold and the hope for all mankind.  The hope for all the world, Jesus Christ, gave himself willingly for each of us.

John 3:16, 17

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He came not in the world to condemn the world but that the world through him might be saved.

Our children need to be reminded especially at this time of the year, how very valuable they are and how Christ’s death and resurrection means something personal to them.

We all need reminders, because we can so easily forget.  Even if you feel that your children have heard the stories many times, we need to be faithful to remind them. 

Of all the stories we can and should pass down to our families, this one is the most important.

We may think that our children, especially if they are older, know the story well enough and don’t need to be told again, but the reminder is so beneficial.  The Bible is full of reminders to remember. We must remember what God has done for us in the past – His power and His hand to deliver us and meet our every need. The Old Testament is full of times where God did an amazing thing, a miracle, and the people stopped to create an altar, or a landmark. They gave it a special name to commemorate, or remember, what God had done for them. Noah, Abraham, Jacob, and Moses and others all stopped after an amazing move of God and created the landmark for remembrance.

The history of God’s provision was taught to the next generation by those careful to remember.

Why the focus on remembering?

Because if we don’t look back and see where we have come from we might forget that we are making progress on the journey.

If we don’t remember, we might believe falsely that we are alone in the journey.

If we don’t remember, we might forget all the ways God has provided for us in the past, and we might miss the opportunity to rely on Him with our futures.

It is in the remembering that we can move forward from the present.

It is in the remembering that we can be confident with our next step.

This Easter weekend let's be sure to emphasis the glorious gift of Christ's sacrifice on our behalf.  Let's make sure our children remember the reason we take the pause on Good Friday to reflect on what His death means for us, and then why we rejoice on Sunday over His resurrection!