Looking Back

Remember the days of old;
consider the years of many generations;
ask your father, and he will show you,
your elders, and they will tell you.

- Deuteronomy 32:7

2025 is soon over. The turning of the year is typically a time of reflection and anticipation; today, I focus on the former.

The Bible calls us to remember. The word shows up 234 times in the ESV. Some of those are featured in specific stories (e.g. Genesis 30:22), some are God remembering His covenant and people (e.g. Leviticus 26:40-45, Jeremiah 31:20), and some are a broadly-applicable call to all of God's people to remember three things:

- they were slaves and rebellious (e.g. Deuteronomy 5:15, Deuteronomy 9:7, Isaiah 17:10, Isaiah 46:8-13, Ezekiel 36:31)

- they were freed by God; He has done marvelous things (e.g. Deuteronomy 5:15, Deuteronomy 15:15, 1 Chronicles 16:8-18, Psalm 77:11, Psalm 105:5, Ephesians 2:11-13)

- they owe the Lord their obedience (e.g. Numbers 15:39-41, Psalm 103:15-18, Revelation 3:3, 2 Peter 3:1-2)

We were slaves to sin. God freed us. We owe Him our lives. As you think back on 2025, keep these three things in mind. Our reflections tend to focus on our specific achievements or trials, and yet a year is not defined by our victories (or failures). We are called to focus on and remember the Lord, who while we were sinners died to set us free (Romans 5:8). May we reflect on the ways (large and small) the Lord has shown us mercies this past year; they were new every morning (Lamentations 3:22-23), whether we recognized them or not.