First Memories

By Stuart Powell

In the second-last chapter of Deuteronomy, Moses blessed the tribes of Israel. As the old prophet prepared to ascend the mountain to view the Promised Land and then to die, he poured out his heart in prayer. He asked God to continue showing favor to his chosen people. In his prayer, Moses referred to Yahweh God as “him who resided in the burning bush.”

Even at the end of his life, Moses was still awed by the memory of his first encounter with the creator God.

How often did Moses’ thoughts drift back to that day in front of the bush? Did he get goose bumps every time he recalled the events? What did the memory of the fire and the sound of the voice do to his spirit? How many times did Moses go back to the bush, the place where his walk with God began?

How about you? What are your first memories of your walk with God? How would you describe your first godly encounter? Jesus invites us to take these emblems as a way to keep those first memories fresh.

Then [Jesus] took bread, and after giving thanks he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” And in the same way he took the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood” (Luke 22:19, 20, New English Translation).

The loaf and the cup are a way to anchor our daily living in the promises of the cross, where our lives were purchased from the grave. As you partake, remember Jesus, who gave his life for all of us.

Stuart Powell lives outside of Terre Haute, Indiana, where he serves with the North Side Christian Church.

Image: The Call of Moses, an illustration from a Bible card published in 1900 by the Providence Lithograph Company; courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.