I went looking for something the other day, and found something else.  Something completely unexpected.

The bindings on my Bible are always coming apart.  Probably because I stick too much stuff in it – old church bulletins, sermon notes, prayer requests, articles, and other things that should be in some  place other than the front and back of my Bible.  So the other day, I went looking for a card that I had kept over the years and was quite sure was stuck in an old Bible I have.

The card I was looking for wasn’t there, but plenty of other things were.  This was a Bible I had received when I was just entering my teen years.  As I flipped through it, I saw dates and notes I had written next to certain passages.  I found lots of things I had stuck in between the pages.  I was reminded of the youth group I was in, churches I had attended, sermons I had heard, friends I was praying for. 

I was given an unexpected opportunity to be reminded of my spiritual journey, and the God who has been with me the whole time.

Sometimes we get so caught up in the here and now, in the crisis or challenge of the day, and we forget just how far God has brought us.  We forget the lessons learned and we forget the blessings received. We forget the adventures, the joys and the ways He answered prayers.

In the Bible, God is constantly reminding His people to “remember”,  to look back at what He has already done for them.  I think I’ll spend some more time flipping through that old Bible.  I think I’ll spend more time “remembering” the journey my faithful God has taken me on.

And because of His faithfulness on that journey so far, I can’t wait to see what He has in store ahead.

Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them slip from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them.  Deuteronomy  4:9 (NIV)

That they may set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep His commandments.  Psalm78:7

Remember His marvelous works which He has done…  Psalm 105:9

You enlarged my path under me; so my feet did not slip.  2 Samuel 22:9

And you shall remember that the LORD your God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not.   Deuteronomy  8:2