Remember God

Remember, God. I added the comma. After hearing Tyler Reagin speak with author of the book Remember God, Annie F. Downs, (on the Catalyst podcast), he references adding the comma, so I added it. Downs writes a beautiful story of her journey towards remembering God’s kindness – into a story that does not end with a pretty bow tied on it.

Remember God.
Remember, God.

The slight nuanced comma splitting the two words makes a world of difference. One is a gentle reminder to remember him. Remember he’s close. Remember he’s working. Remember where he’s been faithful – and will be faithful again. It is a necessary reminder. And it is powerful.

The other, to me, is like a shaking, a pleading, a grabbing by the ethereal shoulders and saying, “Remember, God”. Don’t you remember, God?

Have you forgotten that you said you’d be faithful? He hasn’t.
Have you forgotten that you said I would never be alone? He hasn’t.
Have you forgotten that you said you would be close by when this whirling dervish we live on rears its ugly head and I can’t sleep at night? He hasn’t.

Christmas is a season where we remember. Where we (hopefully) turn our eyes and hearts toward the coming of the infant King. But it’s also a season where we live in God’s remembrance. From when sin entered the world, He had a plan for the salvation of the entire world (Genesis 3:15) – woven into the fabric of the millennia gone past – he remembered us. Who am I to think he will forgot?

Christmas is a season where we remember that He is moving, has moved, and will continue to move. When we find him in the manger. When we find him in the lights. When we find him in the smiles of young children, we remember. He hasn’t forgotten. And he will not forget.

The stage is set. The baby King has arrived. We live in the grace of the resurrection of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. The One who set all of it up and will bring to completion the good work he has started (Philippians 1:6) – and he will not forget.

He will remember, so I will remember.
I will remember, God.