Dear COA Family,
Praise God for a wonderful weekend of spiritual refreshment, physical nourishment, and meaningful fellowship at our church camp.
Many of our members were blessed by the opportunity to spend quality time with family and friends, deepen existing relationships, and form new ones. Even our visitors experienced the warmth of God’s love through our church community.
One visitor shared with me that he and his family felt genuinely welcomed when they first joined us this year. They were touched by the friendliness and warmth shown to them by many members of our congregation and are looking forward to settling into the life of the church.
One important lesson we learned during the camp was the need to remember God’s blessings. In fact, our devotion to God grows out of an intentional and active remembrance of His goodness and faithfulness towards us. It is often when we forget His goodness that we become lukewarm in our faith and distracted in our focus. Such forgetfulness is often the first step in drifting away from the Lord.
Judges 2 records a tragic period in Israel’s history when a new generation arose after Joshua, who did not know the Lord or remember what He had done for Israel. They forgot how God had delivered their forefathers from Egypt, sustained them through their wilderness wanderings, and brought them into the Promised Land. They neglected to remember God’s mighty acts and His covenant faithfulness.
As a result, they forsook the Lord and turned to the gods of the nations around them. The Lord allowed their enemies to oppress them, and at times He Himself opposed them because of their unfaithfulness. Their forgetfulness led to their downfall. This is why Scripture places such strong emphasis on remembering God. The word “remember” appears more than 230 times in the Old Testament alone.
Psalm 103 exhorts us: “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits” (v. 2).
The New Testament likewise highlights remembrance as an essential aspect of the Christian life:
•Jesus commands us at every Holy Communion service, “Do this in remembrance of me” (Luke 22:19).
•The Apostle Peter writes, “I intend always to remind you of these qualities, though you know them and are established in the truth that you have” (2 Peter 1:12).
Let us therefore make remembrance an intentional and active practice in the year ahead. Let us gather faithfully for worship services and cell group meetings. In our personal devotions, let us regularly recount God’s goodness and faithfulness. Let us also share our testimonies and stories of God’s grace with our children and the next generation.
As we do so, we will not forget God’s goodness or His commandments. Instead, we will remain steadfast in His will and continue to enjoy His blessings all the days of our lives.
God bless,
Revd Ian