Photo and Commentary ©2024 by Robert Howson
Tuesday, August 6, 2024
If you’ve reached the age that I have you may find yourself going into a museum and remarking to yourself or anyone who might listen, “I remember when we had one of those” or something along that line of thinking. Time has changed the way we do things and as a result it’s easy to think that what was done in the past has little or no value. But think again. Did you by any chance happen to imagine yourself with your hands on this ancient keyboard and found the keys in a familiar position? The T was in the right place right between the R and Y. And while your keyboard may have added a number of convenient symbols, it probably doesn’t sport a bouquet of roses and other flowers on its face.
It’s tempting to think this modern age has traded beauty for convenience, but think again. When you attend a car show, why is more attention given to the new Lamborghini than the equally new Ford Fiesta? True, there may be other reasons for the attention, but the point is still valid. But back to that old keyboard. While your finger might feel strange striking the keys, your mind would confirm the placement of the letters in their familiar positions. That’s because we remember.
The Bible has a lot to say about remembering, or at least that we should remember. The book of Deuteronomy is full of such reminders. A good example of this is Deuteronomy 5:15 which says: “Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and that the Lord your God brought you out of there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore the Lord your God has commanded you to observe the Sabbath day.” (NIV) Apparently Moses thought it wasn’t enough to just rotely go through the motions of keeping the Sabbath day holy, they needed to remember why they were doing so. They needed to remember what God had done for them and then celebrate His involvement in their lives. And when we remember this, our actions will be the same.