Remembering Yesterday

Every country has its days of remembrance; a time to honor people and situations. Often it’s an acknowledgment of those who have given their lives for the good of the country. Sometimes educators are honored or scientists or artists, writers and orators, politicians and military leaders. The list goes on. When we reflect upon people or situations, we remember hardships they endured in order to overcome. We ponder their strength of character, how they overcame the odds. Perhaps we honor those who helped others on their journey: a parent or sibling, a spouse, a teacher, a doctor. Someone was there to assist and encourage through every obstacle.

Reading in Deuteronomy 8, we see that God Himself challenges the people to recall the struggles they endured and to remember who helped them through it all. Let’s read verses 15-16, “Do not forget that He (God) led you through the great and terrifying wilderness with its poisonous snakes and scorpions, where it was so hot and dry. He gave you water from the rock. He fed you with manna in the wilderness, a food unknown to your ancestors. He did this to humble you and test you for your own good.”

While we see it was indeed God who provided for them, every step of their hazardous journey, it was the last phrase that caught my attention: “humble and test you for your own good.” This can sound rather negative, but in fact, it is most positive. The word “test” in Hebrew means, to prove. God did not allow their difficulties as a harsh task master; rather, He provided for them along the way, keeping them safe and with full stomachs, to prove that whatever challenge they would face, He would be there to bring them through.

If Almighty God is there, and will always be there, then what have any of us to fear? We do not know what tomorrow holds — but God knows. He is already in our tomorrows, leading us through today, ready to assist in every hour to come.

Let’s never forget His watchful eyes over us. May we always remember — His goodness of yesterday is proof of His continued goodness today.