God’s Story... For My Life
Practicing Remembering
Read Deuteronomy 26:1-15
“When you enter the land the Lord your God is giving you as a special possession and you have conquered it and settled there, put some of the first produce from each crop you harvest into a basket and bring it to the designated place of worship—the place the Lord your God chooses for his name to be honored. Go to the priest in charge at that time and say to him, ‘With this gift I acknowledge to the Lord your God that I have entered the land he swore to our ancestors he would give us.’ The priest will then take the basket from your hand and set it before the altar of the Lord your God.
“You must then say in the presence of the Lord your God, ‘My ancestor Jacob was a wandering Aramean who went to live as a foreigner in Egypt. His family arrived few in number, but in Egypt they became a large and mighty nation. When the Egyptians oppressed and humiliated us by making us their slaves, we cried out to the Lord, the God of our ancestors. He heard our cries and saw our hardship, toil, and oppression. So the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a strong hand and powerful arm, with overwhelming terror, and with miraculous signs and wonders. He brought us to this place and gave us this land flowing with milk and honey! And now, O Lord, I have brought you the first portion of the harvest you have given me from the ground.’ Then place the produce before the Lord your God, and bow to the ground in worship before him.”
(Deuteronomy 26:1-10)
Reflect
After conquering the land and harvesting a crop, the people were to bring an offering to the Lord. The offering itself signified that God had made good on his promise to his people. By reciting the story of God’s provision for Jacob and Israel, the people would be reminded of what God had done for them. He had been faithful. The offering served as a response to God’s blessings.
It’s easy to forget what God has done for us throughout our lives. It’s helpful to hear from others how God has been faithful in theirs. We have to work at remembering. But when we do, we realize just how dependable God is, and we realize all the reasons we have to continue trusting him.
Respond
What practices remind you of God’s blessings? What is God’s history in your family and your life? Can you describe in clear and concise words what God has done for you? Find a friend or family member with whom you can discuss God’s activity in your life and your history. Recounting to each other God’s work can reveal to you God’s involvement in your history.