Zakhar: Remembering as Moving Forward

In the Bible, the Living God repeats what He cares about. If I spend time with you, I will quickly learn what and who you care about by your words. Out of the overflow of the heart the mouth will speak. There is a command, an instruction unto shalom that the Living God repeats over and over throughout the Story of the Bible. It is summed up in one simple yet powerful word – remember. Sometimes its given in the reverse – do not forget.

Zakhar is the Hebrew word for “to remember”. When we think of remembering, we think of looking back to something behind us. But for the Hebrews they understood remembering as a forward-moving practice and rhythm of walking with the Living God. When you hit a moment in life and you don’t know what to do, rather than striving and straining, stressing and scrambling to find the way forward, you “remember.” You take time to look back, remember God’s faithful record in your life, and in looking back and remembering you will find your way forward.

One of my favorite things to do with teams while in Israel is to hike through the Wilderness of Zin with them. To feel the wilderness. To experience part of the wilderness where the Israelites wandered for 40 years before entering the Promised Land. In today’s episode, we will track the Israelites through some of their wilderness wanderings as they learned to zakhar, to remember in the wilderness.

If something is going on in your life today and you feel lost and overwhelmed, sit down, breathe deep and remember. Look back over your life and remember God’s faithful record. He has not failed a person yet. You will not be the first. Be encouraged today!