Every once in a while, I march purposefully into a room, stop, look around, and wonder, “What was it I came in here for?”
I pause, collect my thoughts, and hopefully remember, “Oh yeah, my keys!”
That’s the way with our memory. Sometimes we forget little things. Sometimes we forget even the important things.
God established memorials throughout the Bible for the very same reason. Some memorials make sure we do not take important events for granted, and some make sure we never forget.
Important Biblical Memorials
All the memorials in the Bible are reminders of a significant event, person, or promise of God. Of the ten or more examples of memorials in the Bible, here are three that are most important to me.
The Cross
No memorial is more important to millions of Christians than the cross. It is the symbol of our Savior’s ultimate sacrifice made to save mankind. Peter summarized Jesus’ sacrifice saying, “He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed” (1 Peter 2:24 NASB).
Without Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross, there would be no remission of sin and no salvation for man.
The Lord’s Supper
Jesus himself established one specific memorial. The Lord’s Supper. The Lord’s Supper is a reminder of the broken body and shed blood of Jesus. Luke recorded the Lord’s instruction to the apostles as they gathered together to celebrate the Passover.
…he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you” (Luke 22:19-20 NIV).
The Lord’s Supper was a symbol of what was to come. The broken bread was a symbol of His body, broken on the cross. The wine was a symbol of His blood shed on the cross. His death offered as a substitute payment for our sins.
We celebrate the Lord’s Supper to remember the sacrifice Jesus made on our behalf.
The Rainbow
Unlike all the other memorials described in the Bible, the rainbow is especially significant. It is a reminder not only for man but also for God.
And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life. Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth” (Genesis 9:12-16).
God promised when He saw the rainbow it would remind Him of the covenant between Himself and man. The rainbow is a reminder of God’s faithfulness to man.
This Memorial Day
This Memorial Day, let’s put the fried chicken and potato salad aside for a moment and remember.
Let’s remember the fallen men and women who sacrificed all to secure our freedoms.
And above all, when you see a cross, remember the sacrifice made there. When you see a rainbow, remember the faithful promise of God. When you celebrate the Lord’s Supper, remember Jesus’ sacrifice made on our behalf.
We have much to be thankful for this Memorial Day. Let’s remember!
Join the Conversation
As always, questions and comments are welcome. What is most important for you to remember this Memorial Day?
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Category: Personal Development | Priorities
