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By April J. Buchanan | Religion Columnist

Earlier this year, in Sunday School, a brother in Christ shared with us an earnest appeal. Shortly after, I quoted him as saying, “Do not forget God”, though later, as I looked at my notes, I had written down, “Remember the Lord”.

He shared how, as a result of his studying, he’d been thinking on how in the Old Testament, it is recorded over and over again that the people would forget God. It was then he made his heartfelt plea, that we, “Remember the Lord.” ~ Clarence Simpson

His words so affected my heart. He wasn’t using empty words originated in his heart to try to hype us up to get an emotional response. No. I could see and hear the impact of what a faithful study of God’s Word had so worked in his heart.

Perhaps you’ve heard of how the Apostle Peter died: crucified, upside-down, because he said he was not worthy to be crucified like his Lord. But have you heard of the Apostle Peter’s last words to his wife?

“Eusebius cites the testimony of Clement, who says that before Peter was crucified he was forced to watch the crucifixion of his own wife. As he watched her being led to her death, Clement says, Peter called to her by name, saying, “Remember the Lord.”” ~ John MacArthur, Grace To You

Last Sunday, our pastor faithfully exposited 1st Peter 1:1-2 and at one point, he said,

“The persistent affection of the flesh is to sin. Now that doesn’t mean that you deliberately sit down and say, ‘I’m going to get God today.’ .. ‘I’m going to disobey today.’ No. It’s more like what we see over and over again, this little phrase in the Old Testament, ‘and they forgot God’.

Christians don’t forget God; [Christians] can’t forget God. That’s why God births in a new Christian – when they receive the new birth – a hunger for the word of God. And with that hunger comes feeding and with that feeding comes strength and comes a new understanding.

.. Jesus, in His High Priestly prayer, in John 17 says, ‘sanctify them in truth’ and then parenthetically says, ‘Your word is truth’. In Romans 12 it tells us not to be conformed to this world but to be transformed by the renewing of your mind. That doesn’t happen out of osmosis. You don’t get struck with a renewed mind. It comes from reading your Bible every single day.” ~ Hank Walker

Peter’s words to his wife and my brother in the Lord’s words to our class (and now to you), are both a charge and an encouragement: “Remember The Lord”. Our pastor not only made the claim that Christian’s can’t forget God but he demonstrated how: God births in His children a hunger for His Word whereby we grow in grace and knowledge of the truth.

“Therefore, having girded your minds for action, being sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” 1 Peter 1:13 LSB

Grace and Peace

Soli Deo Gloria