Our God is victorious

Remembering as an act of praise

The glass doors swung open and as we walked inside hand-in-hand, bundled from head to toe to keep out the cold our bodies were no longer accustomed to. We felt at home for the first time in a long time.

The smell of the carpet, the familiar faces, the background sounds of laughter mingled with piano music. But it was more than what our eyes could see. I felt oriented, as if my compass had finally remembered how to point north and I could at last see the path I had been searching for.

We took our place in the worn pews - the same spot we had always sat in. Surrounded by family and friends and fellow believers, it finally felt like we had made it. All the planning and packing and organizing and goodbyes had culminated in this one moment where we could take our place among those who had prayed and rejoiced and cried along with us over the years. I didn’t know if we would make it, but we did.

The choir stood up. And as if they knew the year we had just endured, the battles God had fought on our behalf, they began to sing these words:

“Our God is victorious

He always wins, He always wins

In love, He reigns over us

He always wins, He always wins”¹

And how could I just sit there and act as if that wasn’t a sign of His goodness in my life? How could I not praise Him for the victory it was to just be sitting in church with my family? How could I hold back the tears that welled up, spilled over, dropped into my lap? I simply couldn’t.

Yes, we had made it. But only because God made a way.

I am struck at how often God tells His people to remember.

Many times, it is a call to be aware, vigilant of what mistakes we have made in the past so we can avoid making them again. Sometimes it’s a call to action - do that which you have already been told to do. All times, it is a call to praise.

Psalm 143:5 -  I remember the days of old; I meditate on all thy works; I muse on the work of thy hands.

Isaiah 46:9-10 - Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:

I could list these for a while, but I won’t. But I think my favorite of these verses has to come from Deuteronomy:

Deuteronomy 5:15 - And remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt, and that the Lord thy God brought thee out thence through a mighty hand and by a stretched out arm: therefore the Lord thy God commanded thee to keep the sabbath day.

In 1 Kings 8, centuries later, we read of King Solomon bringing the ark of the covenant into the newly dedicated temple.

Verse 9 tells us that inside, "There was nothing in the ark save the two tables of stone, which Moses put there at Horeb, when the Lord made a covenant with the children of Israel, when they came out of the land of Egypt.”

The word “remember” isn’t in this verse, but the implication is there. They had saved the commandments that God Himself had given to Moses to instruct the people. They were saved so the people would remember. And Moses’ words were ringing out that day as the “… settled place for thee [God] to abide in for ever,”² was finally brought to fruition.

The people of Israel had gone through it. They were captives, being treated with hatred and disdain in a land that wasn’t their own. They were used and abused and could barely find the energy to hope that God’s promises made thousands of years earlier would ever come true.

Yet, God heard them. And He rescued them in marvelous, miraculous ways. And God took every opportunity He could to implore them to remember - altars of stone, a rod that budded, manna that fell from the sky, two stone tablets.

And as their descendants, long prayed for and hard fought for, walked into the permanent house of the Lord, the message that pierced their hearts was one of remembrance.

Remember the plagues. Remember the sea parting. Remember the chains that held you back. Remember the sicknesses and the rebellions. Remember the leaders that influenced you. Remember the pillars of cloud and fire that never abandoned you through every step.

Remember the God that brought you to this place, this time, this season of peace and stability.

Remember.

The glass doors are propped open as we follow our kids inside. We watch as they find their friends, their youth leaders, their places on the front row.

We each find our place, too, in service to the church God has led us to, the one we now get to call home. This place is new for us still, but it already feels like we are settled, secure.

This may seem like small, ordinary things for some. But for our family, this is what victory looks like. Hard fought for, long prayed for victory. I didn’t know if we would make it, yet because of God, we did.

And in those pews, in those places of service, we are consistently called back by God to remember. We can never forget the places we come from, the people who have shaped us both for the good and the bad, because it is simply ingrained in us. But more importantly, when we choose to forget the past, we are choosing to forget the God Who worked in those places, too.

And so we choose to remember - yes, even those times we would rather forget.

We remember, because God is too praise-worthy to forget.

“Men complain of their little faith: the remedy is in their own hands; let them set themselves to know God… But for all this, you must make time. You cannot know a friend from hurried interviews, much less God. So you must steep yourself in deep, long thoughts of His nearness and His love.”

F.B. Meyer

the miscellany

All the things that bring us joy:

• something we’re reading: I’m currently working through Lady Susan; The Watsons; Sanditon by Jane Austen (the last of her works then I’ve read all of her novels!) and On Writing (and Writers) by C.S. Lewis (oh, hey, motivation!)

• something we’re making: I’ve been experimenting with new recipes in the kitchen and here are a few that were hits all-around in our family (so rare!): these cheesy chicken enchiladas, this slow cooker creamy chicken + chorizo orzo, and kale pasta caesar salad - so good!

• somewhere we’ve been: We’re still getting to know Brisbane and the surrounding areas. Lately we’ve been exploring the city (50 cent train fares make it so much easier - no parking to worry about!), Maleny and Montville (the cutest regional towns where we explored a chocolate shop, an antique shop, and Mary Cairncross Scenic Reserve with friends), and Sunnybank (where we got to drink straight from coconuts and try out coffee buns from Papparoti - amazing!). We’ve been loving all that this part of the world has to offer!

1. Here’s a link to the song on YouTube for those interested: Our God is Victorious

2. 1 Kings 8:13 - “I have surely built thee an house to dwell in, a settled place for thee to abide in for ever.”