Tonight’s family service looked at the theme of remembrance.We often find it easy to remember some things (names or numbers, depending on our interests and jobs), but find it hard to remember others (Garry has trouble remembering dates, for example!) He spoke about different ways we have of remembering things ( eg mnemonics such as ‘Richard Of York Gave Battle In Vain’ for remembering the colours of the rainbow – red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet – or word association.) Other aids to memory include cue cards, prompts, acrostics and symbols. The picture of the poppy, for example, is associated with Remembrance Sunday and helping veterans of war conflicts:
The rainbow is itself God’s ‘aide-mémoire’ to us, a sign of His covenant with us that He will never again flood the earth as He did with Noah. (Gen 9:12-17)
Jesus also gave us the symbols of bread and wine as a means of remembering His death (see 1 Cor 11:23-26). As we see the bread and wine, touch these symbols and taste them, we remember that Jesus gave Himself for us and can claim His forgiveness for ourselves.
As Matt Redman sings in his poignant song ‘Remembrance’, remembrance leads to worship and worship leads to communion, as we think on God’s mercy and receive all He has for us.