Do we remember ?

Primary Text: 1 Samuel 31:11–13

“When the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul, all their valiant men arose… and took the body of Saul… and buried them…”

Memory is a remarkable gift from God. But it can also reveal the condition of our hearts.

Have you noticed how easily we remember an insult? How vividly we recall a betrayal? How quickly we remember the one who offended us?

Yet the countless acts of kindness…The sacrifices people made for us…The encouragement they gave us…Those are often forgotten. Why is that?

Today, Scripture asks us a searching question: Do we remember?

The People of Jabesh Remembered

Years earlier, when Saul had just been anointed king, the people of Jabesh Gilead faced certain destruction. Saul came to their rescue. He risked everything to save them.

Years passed. Saul later made tragic decisions. He disobeyed God. He pursued David unjustly. His reign ended in sorrow.

Yet when Saul and his sons died on Mount Gilboa, one group of people remembered. The people of Jabesh Gilead.They travelled through the night to recover the bodies of the king and his sons.Why? Because they never forgot what Saul had once done for them. They remembered the good.

David Also Remembered

If anyone had reason to speak bitterly about Saul, it was David. Saul hunted him. Misunderstood him. Tried repeatedly to kill him.

Yet after Saul’s death, David did not rejoice. He did not mock him. He did not say,”I told you so.” Instead, he composed a lament. He remembered Saul’s courage. He remembered his leadership. He honoured the office God had given him. David refused to let Saul’s failures erase every good thing Saul had done. That is the heart of a mature believer.

God Himself Calls Attention to the Good

In the opening chapter of Genesis, after each act of creation, Scripture says: “And God saw that it was good.” God delights in what is good.Throughout the Bible, God calls His people to notice, remember, and give thanks.

Paul writes in Philippians 4:8:”Whatever is true… whatever is honorable… whatever is just… whatever is pure… whatever is lovely… whatever is commendable… think about these things.” The Christian mind is not blind to evil. But neither is it consumed by it.

Remembering Does Not Mean Excusing Sin

To remember the good in Saul was not to approve of his disobedience.The Bible is honest about Saul’s failures. God judged them. But people are rarely defined by only one chapter of their lives. Sometimes, in our disappointment, we erase every act of kindness because of a painful experience. Scripture invites us to be more discerning than that.Truth requires honesty about both strengths and failures.

Gratitude Is a Mark of Spiritual Maturity

An ungrateful heart remembers offences. A grateful heart remembers mercies. Who helped you when no one else would? Who encouraged you when you were discouraged?Who prayed for you? Who opened a door for you? Who gave you your first opportunity?Have you thanked them? Or have you forgotten?

Practical Christian Response

Take time to remember.

Remember God’s faithfulness.

Remember those who invested in your life.

Thank people while they are still alive to hear it.

Speak well of others where truth allows.

Do not allow one disappointment to erase years of kindness.

And above all, remember the greatest act of love ever shown. Jesus Christ laid down His life for us while we were still sinners. If we remember nothing else…Let us never forget the cross.

Reflection

One of the great dangers of our age is selective memory. We magnify offences. We minimize kindness. We rehearse pain. We forget grace.

But the Christian is called to live differently. A heart transformed by Christ remembers mercy because it has received mercy. A heart that has been forgiven learns to remember with humility.

Key Verse

“Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits.” (Psalm 103:2)

Closing Thought

The world remembers people’s worst moments. Grace remembers that God is still writing their story.

The people of Jabesh remembered.

David remembered.

God calls us to remember too.

So today, ask yourself: Who have I forgotten to thank? Whose kindness have I allowed my disappointment to erase? And have I remembered the countless mercies God has shown me? Because a grateful heart is one of the clearest signs of a life transformed by Christ.