KEEP THE MEMORIES ALIVE
Children love a good story. Our children’s favorites have always been “real” stories from the past. One of their preferred anecdotes is that of my husband’s near-death encounter. When he was 8 years old, his family took a fishing trip to Canada. They were on the banks of a body of water surrounded by rocky cliffs when a huge bolder came crashing down its slopes. It hit their younger son on the back of the head and sent him sprawling into the deep waters below. His dad had to jump in to rescue him from drowning. They sped to the nearest hospital 50 miles away, while he was losing consciousness and bleeding from the impact. My mother-in-law admitted she had to release him to the Lord as he laid on her lap in the backseat of their car, his head wrapped in a towel, never imagining he would survive.
When they arrived at the hospital, they discovered that in their panic all of their identification was left back at the cabin. Miraculously, the doctors admitted him without it, diagnosing their son with a fractured skull. But the hand of the Lord was on their little boy as he underwent a delicate surgery. A local church heard of the accident and within a short time visited the hospital offering food, clothing, prayer and shelter while their son recuperated. Doctors and nurses were amazed at how quickly he recovered. They called him their miracle boy. The Lord’s hand was truly on him as he was released from the hospital a few days later without any recurring problems, even to this day. I’ve always told our sons and grandchildren that the Lord spared him so he could be my husband and their daddy and grandpa some day. This is a story worth repeating to our children so they will remember God rules over every circumstance of life. One of the truths we want them to learn from this real-life experience is that God is also their Protector, Provider and Healer, and that He hears and answers the prayers of His people.
A note in my Bible says, “The memory of God’s redemptive acts is to be kept alive by reciting them to our children. ” What a challenge for us today!
Read each week’s passage in two or more versions of the Bible. It’s a good idea to download an app from Bible Gateway to bring up three different versions on the screen at one time. It’s a great study tool to give us more insight into the scriptures.
Read Exodus 10:1-2
1. What did the Lord tell Moses about Pharaoh? What did He want the people to tell their children and grandchildren? Of what would this story assure their children?
Read Psalm 44:1-2
2. Who told the story to whom in this passage? What had they heard with their ears? What was the truth they discovered in verse 3 from this real-life story? What truth will you proclaim from your own personal story?
Read Job 36:24-26 NIV
3. What are we encouraged to remember from this passage? What reference is made to songs? Is their a particular worship song that rings true in your heart?
Read Exodus 15:1-3
4. Why are Moses and Miriam singing this song to the Lord? What is the Lord called in verse 3? Notice in the Message the words that say, “This is the kind of God I have and I’m telling the world.” What are you telling the world?
Read Psalm 103:2-5
5. What 5 benefits are to be remembered here? We are encouraged not to forget. What stories in your own personal life fit within these 5 categories? Tell them to your children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews. Even if you’re not a parent, there’s someone younger who can benefit from your story. Telling others keeps the memory alive in us!
I hope you will interact with others in this online study by posting your comments on our KingdomMom site.
ODELLA RICH – ORLANDO FL.
1, The LORD had hardened his heart and the hearts of his servants = the LORD wanted to show signs = The LORD wanted them to tell his son and their sons about the LORD and his signs = HE wanted them to know HE was the LORD.
2.GOD told the story – they had heard from GOD with their own ears about the things that happened in the old days – GOD has placed favor on them = GOD is so good all the time to me – HE is always doing great things for me and helping me each day of my life – I just do not know what I would do with the LORD in my life today – GREAT THINGS ARE AHEAD FOR ALL OF US – as long as we serve the LORD with all our heart.
3.Remember every person magnifies GOD’S work and people will see the GOD and HIS works in us each day we live – we are his testimony of HIS good works – sing HIS praises at all times = I love the worship song by Karen Peck – “Hold while I cry” – this to me is a wonderful song and reminds me that GOD is always holding on to me in every difficult time of my life – reminds me PRAISE HIM at all times.
4.They are singing for the LORD hath triumphed gloriously – the LORD is a man of war and HIS name is LORD – I hope I am telling the world how good HE is to me and making them want to serve the LORD also – we need to be great testimonies in our lives each day we are granted HIS blessings.
5.HIS benefits = HIS healings = His redemption = HIS tender mercies = all of HIS good things – Loving Kindness = all of the things in my life will fit into each one of these – OH MY – I could just keep going on about what HE has done in my life of 77 years – I have tried to pass all of the things on to my children and one grandchild – I want them to know HIS many things HE has done for me – would like to pass on many things to everyone just how good HE has been in my life along the way – we would just dwell on the goodness of the LORD for years and years for us older saints – GOD IS SO GOOD AND I PRAISE HIS NAME DAILY. I enjoyed this so much – Thank you Karen for making it possible for me to be in another one of your BIBLE lessons – they are so good and the LORD has given you many years of teaching us.
Odella, your comments are so encouraging once again. I love how you are telling your children and grandchild what God has done in your life all these years. Those are stories they will never forget. I’m not familiar with the song by Karen Peck but will check it out now that you recommended it. Thanks for participating in our study.
I love hearing stories of how God intervened in people’s everyday life, it thrills my heart & increases my faith! I do try to share with others when I get to see God move in my life.
Today I am reminded of a particular morning about 12 years ago. It was just a regular morning, the kids were little, I believe around 1st & 3rd grade, I got them off to school & was planning on doing some house cleaning, one of which was cleaning off the top of the refrigerator. I got a chair & started going through the papers & things that had been placed up there. I found an old cassette tape & had no idea what was on it or where it came from so I found a radio that still had a tape recorder & popped it in. To my surprise it was worship music that I hadn’t heard since I was a little girl, but knew them all by heart! I didn’t mean to but I spent the entire day worshiping The Lord! It was one of those times that the presence of God was so thick & completely overwhelming! The day literally FLEW by, before I knew it, it was time to go get the kids from school. I remember driving to school, & saying “Lord, I have no idea what that was for but THANK YOU!” My grandma who I had always been incredibly close with was in the hospital with a bladder infection & I called her & got to talk with her, I remember when we hung up I said I love you G’ma! And she said I love you sweetheart , so, so much!!! I already knew it, but the way she said it touched my heart! Well…. That night I got a phone call from my mom, she was upset, there had been a freak thing happen, the infection from my grandma’s bladder infection had gone to her heart & my mom told me grandma was gone. My life suddenly changed, I felt like the earth stopped spinning, this couldn’t be happening, I just talked to her & she was fine! I started to cry & all of a sudden, I felt God whisper, that’s what today was for, I knew you were going to face this heartbreak & I knew your spirit would need to be full. My spirit was full I realized & I drew on that strength in the days to come, but was so thankful Jesus had spent the day with me, filling me up! Grandma was in heaven with him now! And I got to hear her say I love you one more time before she went! A song that always comes to my mind when God touches my life is “Great is thy Faithfulness” the old hymn.
I never knew that story….beautiful!!
Thanks, Tara. Sometimes we just have to look back and find a story worth repeating. This is one of them for sure.
Teresa, your story is beautiful about how God gave you the worship music from an old tape to prepare you for what was ahead with your grandmother. Thank you for sharing it because it encourages all of us to know how much God cares and provides for us in our deepest needs. I love how you got to hear her say I love you one more time. I agree the old hymn, Great is Thy Faithfulness, is a reminder of how often He is right beside us. I love the lyrics that say, “Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow.” That truth is one I often repeat when facing a new trial. Thanks for sharing your story.
I LOVE The Message in Psalm 44:3: We didn’t fight for this land; we didn’t work for it – it was a gift! You gave it, smiling as you gave it, delighting as you gave it.” God LOVES to give us good things! How we must frustrate Him so often when we ourselves block His blessings! In Job 36:26, it reads “take a long, hard look.” It reminds me of the country song “I Hope You Dance” when she says “I hope you give the Heavens more than just a passing glance.” Two of my favorite worship songs that always stop me in my tracks: The Revelation Song by Kari Jobe and Our Great God by Todd Agnew. Ex 15:3 states the Lord is a Warrior. My dad once said He is the mighty Lion who pads beside you. I love that! In regard to what I’m telling the world…many years ago, very early in my Christian walk, I was at a christian conference and the speaker asked this question: If you were on trial for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you? That really convicted my heart and I’ve never forgotten it. He forgives; He heals; He redeems; He crowns; He renews…we are always young in His Presence!
Tara, I also love the image of the mighty Lion who pads beside us. And the worship songs you mentioned are also some of my favorites. I missed the phrase, “take a long, hard look” when I read the Job reference. Isn’t that just what we need to do!
Thanks for your wonderful insight here. We sure learn from each other, don’t we?
As I read the Bible passages what came to mind was the song “Through it all” by Andrae Crouch.
Oh yes, Tim, I have always loved the song, “Through It All.” It usually makes me cry because it reminds of us God’s constant love. He never leaves us or forsake us.
One of my favorite worship songs is “Let Me Rediscover You” by Downhere https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2LR2_Z3nfM I especially love the lines, “Let me rediscover You and breath in me your life anew. Tell me of the God I never knew. Oh, let me rediscover You.” Love it, love it, love it.
Peggy, I can’t recall that song but will check it out for sure. Isn’t it wonderful the way a song will bring us into God’s presence. So thankful for the gift of music.
Check out the comments to this week’s study…
I am late on commenting on this study…but here goes…He (God) has done everything for me! I love these verses. They are ones that I have memorized. He has saved me, forgiven me, rescued me from sin, He daily gives me His love and mercy and has shown me how to be content in my life. One story I must share is when I was first saved it was near Christmas and we didn’t know how we were going to buy Christmas presents, we had a baby almost a year old. So I prayed God I don’t know how but we need some money for Christmas. A few days later my husband got a bonus check for $2000. That was a gift from God!!! Now I’m not saying when you pray for money God will always give it but at that time I was trusting in Him to provide. As I know that today…He will ALWAYS provide my needs!!