Remember the God Who Has Done Great Things

1. Remember the God Who Has Done Great Things – (1 Samuel 7:12)

 

“Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpeh and Shen, and called the name of it Ebenezer, saying, Hitherto hath the LORD helped us.”

 

The Israelites had been at war with the Philistines for a long time. The people were tired and losing heart. But God intervened. He threw the enemy into confusion, and Israel defeated the Philistines.

 

Samuel wanted the people to remember that day—the day God had fought for them. So, he took a stone and set it up as a memorial. He called it Ebenezer, meaning “stone of help,” and said, “Thus far the Lord has helped us.”

 

That stone was a reminder: God had helped them, God had been faithful, and God would continue to be faithful.

 

Individually and as a church, we have faced challenges, trials and temptations, but God preserved and sustained us. He has been good and faithful to us. We are here today because of His grace and mercy. 

 

One of the greatest tragedies for any generation is forgetting who God is and what He has done. 

 

Psalm 103 tells us not to forget all His benefits. God has given us life, strength, forgiveness, hope and the promise of eternal life. As a church He has preserved and sustained and brought us this far. Even through difficult circumstances, we can trust that He is working for our good.

 

As believers, we are called to remember God’s faithfulness, rehearse His goodness, and pass it on to others. Remembering is not simply nostalgia—it is worship, obedience and witness.

 

Let’s consider some reasons why remembering God is essential to our faith.

 

Remembering helps us keep worship at the centre of our lives.  Worship is not passive. It is active devotion—how we live, serve, speak and respond to God.

 

Our culture can easily cause us to forget God. So, we must ask ourselves: Will our children and grandchildren know the Lord because they have seen Him reflected in our lives?  Forgetting leads to drifting. Remembering leads to reverence.

 

2. Remembering Reveals God’s Faithfulness – (Exodus 3:6)

 

“I am the God of your father—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.”

 

At the burning bush, God introduced Himself to Moses by connecting Himself to generations of faithfulness.  He was not a new or unknown God. He was the God who had been faithful to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

 

God is not only the God of our present circumstances. He is the God of our history.  When we remember what He has done in the past, we are reminded that He has not changed.

 

He was faithful then.
He is faithful now.
And He will be faithful in the future.

 

3. Remembering Fuels Gratitude – (Exodus 20:2; Deuteronomy 5:6)

 

“I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.”

 

Before God gave Israel the Ten Commandments, He reminded them of what He had already done: “I brought you out.”

 

God begins with grace before giving instruction.

 

Gratitude becomes the soil in which obedience grows. When we remember that God has rescued us, carried us and provided for us, our response should be thanksgiving.

 

Every one of us likes to be appreciated.

We teach our children to say “please” and “thank you.” At birthdays, around the dinner table, or whenever someone gives them something, we remind them to show gratitude.  Sometimes when I give sweets to the children at church, their mothers immediately ask:

 

“What do you say?”

And the children reply:

“Thank you.”

Why?

 

Because gratitude is a beautiful quality.  A thankful spirit softens the heart and brightens relationships.  And if we appreciate gratitude from others, how much more must God delight in hearing us give Him thanks?

 

Let us never forget our Egypt and let us always remember our Exodus.

 

Life can become difficult, and sometimes we forget how far God has brought us. That is why we need our own “Ebenezers”—simple reminders of God’s faithfulness.

 

A Bible verse on the fridge.
A photograph that reminds us of God’s provision.
The testimony of another believer.
A song that takes us back to what God has done.

 

These things can help us remember. 

 

So, today we say:

Thank You, Lord, for watching over us.
Thank You, Lord, for Your help and Your care.
Thank You, Lord, that You have never abandoned us.

 

We all have moments we should remember—times when God opened a door, answered a prayer, provided when we had no idea how He would, gave us strength when we were weak, or carried us when we could not carry ourselves.

 

So let us:

• Remember what God has done.
• Give thanks for His faithfulness.
• Worship Him for His goodness.
• Trust Him for what lies ahead.

 

We may not know what tomorrow holds, but we know who has brought us this far.

 

Prayer:

 

Heavenly Father,

We thank You today for every good and perfect gift that comes from Your hand.

Thank You for Your mercy, Your provision, Your protection, and Your faithfulness through every season of life.

 

Forgive us for the times we have taken Your blessings for granted. Forgive us for moments when we have complained instead of praised, worried instead of trusted, or acted as though we achieved things in our own strength.

 

Teach us to live with grateful hearts.

Help us to remember You not only in difficult times, but also in seasons of blessing and prosperity.

 

May gratitude fill our homes, our conversations, our churches, and our daily lives.