I was sitting in the home of a couple that was close to my parents who had collected me and my sisters from our school today 30 years ago. I can vividly recall this day, January 28, 1986 because this was the day the Challenger was going to launch into space with the first civilians in space aviation history. At school, all we heard about and spoke of that day was the Challenger and how we could not wait to get home to see it launched!
Mr. Ray collected me and my sisters from school and we immediately began to watch the coverage of the launching. I will never forget 73 seconds into the flight of the Challenger seeing a huge orange and yellow ball on our screen and Mr. Ray literally screaming with horror. My six year old mind raced with questions but I knew better than to ask because I saw Mr. Ray, a man's man, with tears streaming down his face. I knew that something devestating had happened.
Because of all the events surrounding that day, the emotions, the coverage, the reactions, and how I felt, I have never forgotten January 28, 1986. In my mind I can still recall the shirt I was wearing, the popcorn we were eating, the couch where I was sitting next to Mr. Ray. I can remember almost everything that was going on around me that day. This memory is so etched into my mind because of the events that defined that day in history.
God gives us the ability to remember and recall events, people, and things; some memories can be forgotten, others cannot because of the impact that the events within that memory made a huge impression on our lives. David reminds us in Psalm 103:1-2, "Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:"
We are challenged to remember the benefits and blessings of God in this Psalm. The question is, "How Can I Remember All The Blessings Of God?"
Notice before the challenge to remember, there is a command to praise! Praising people are remembering people! When we make it our first priority to praise God, we will remember all of His benefits!
We all remember big events, traumatic and dramatic ones, but what about the "benefits" of knowing our God? When is the last time you remembered them? If you are having a hard time remembering God's blessings, I encourage you today to begin praising God for who He is and what He has and is doing in your life. When you began to praise, I promise you will remember!
It generally takes a spaceship exploding, a building collapsing, or a traumatic event to cause many people to remember. For the child of God, it should only take time to praise our loving God in order to remember all of His benefits that He has bestowed upon us! Take time to praise Him today!