Whoever is wise will observe these
things, and they will understand the lovingkindness of the LORD.”
Lest we forget....
What do these words actually mean for us. Let us turn to Scripture and see the connection between Psalm 106 and Psalm 107.
Psalm 106, is a psalm full of the wondrous deeds of the LORD. It mentions how the LORD led His people
out of Egypt with an outstretched arm and a mighty hand. Via wondrous signs, the
LORD showed His people His almighty power. However, already at the Red Sea, they
like to go back to Egypt. After the LORD had led them through the deep and had
saved them from the hand of their enemy, they sing their praises to God. Yet
this is only for a moment. A short time later once again they have forgotten
His works. That’s how it went with Israel in the desert, but also later on in
the Promised Land. You could call this selctive memory.
This
danger of selective memory threatens God’s people continuously. Let me just give you a couple of examples. Say you
suffered a heart attack. You were taken to hospital. Laying at the monitor
in the intensive care unit you prayed fervently, “Lord, please let this not be
the end. Please, grant that I may return home again.” In that same prayer, you
also promised Lord, “If I may recover I will change my life. From now on it
will be a life in thankfulness towards Thee.” If the Lord indeed would grant recovery,
you could not imagine that you would ever forget this critical moment in your
life. Well, the Lord gave recovery. You were in the clouds. You appreciated
good health more than ever before. Yet after some time, it slowly faded away.
You got into your old rut again. What did actually become of that life of
thankfulness you promised? Once again, you are so preoccupied with other things
that you forget to look back and thank God for what He gave you.
Another
example: Say you had to sit for an exam you dreaded. Your future career depended
on it. Imagine you were to fail. You prayed, “Lord, please help me through; I
will always remain thankful for it.” The Lord helped you through. Yet where is
that constant thankfulness towards Him? You are busy making new plans and God
hardly features in these plans. Thankfulnes is often short-lived.
In this
context I think also of ANZAC Day, a day on which we as God’s people
do not boast in men and what they have done, but we reflect on God’s hand
in history. For it is God who throughout World War I and II, as well as the
Korean and Vietnam War gave freedom to thousands of people.
I realize
we can’t identify the history of Israel under the Old Testament with what God
has done in the previous century. Nevertheless, we too are called to remember
thankfully God’s wondrous deeds worked in the history of mankind also in the 20th
century. As God’s children we too are called to sing a song of praise on the
mighty works of the LORD.
“Whoever is wise, will observe these
things;
and they will understand the
lovingkindness of the LORD.”
Giving
heed to the deeds of the LORD should cause us to speak differently
about what is going on this world, in our own country and in society. This also means on ANZAC Day we give thought not first of all to national freedom. But the
main point is that through this freedom conquered in World War I and II as well
as in the Korean and Vietnam War, Christ’s church gathering work could continue.
God gave freedom to preach the Word. He gave freedom to thousands of people to
serve Him. That’s how we ought to commemorate ANZAC Day in thankfulness towards
the LORD that we too may still serve Him in freedom.
When seeing
ANZAC Day in this perspective, it can become clear also, that we ought to show
this thankfulness not only once a year.
ANZAC Day is not meant to commemorate the events of the past just for
one day, where after we can simply return to our normal life as if nothing has
happened. Instead, we are to use the freedom we have received to the glory of
God in His service, lest one day this freedom will witness against us.
Lest we forget....
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