"I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt.
Open wide your mouth and I will fill it." Psalm 81:10
The Lord knows we forget. He understands that at times our memories are short. We get distracted, we get distraught. Worries of this life crowd out what we know is true, and Who we know is faithful. Consistently throughout Scripture, the Lord exhorted his people to set up memorials, and celebrate festivals to remember. Remember Him. Remember what he has done. But in the beauty of his grace, he doesn't just expect us to remember his goodness on our own, he is actively reminding us as well.
"I am the Lord your God..." He always begins with himself. There is nothing greater, nor a more compelling starting point than this. He establishes his authority and rightful rule, "I am the Lord..." He who created all things, is above all things, in all things, sustains all things and in his very essence is love itself, is sufficient. Even if he never did anything for us, just who he is would be reminder enough. But he doesn't stop with himself. He gets personal. He includes us when he declares, "I am the Lord YOUR God..." He is love and love, by definition, is relational. Love acts. He works. Love intervenes. He pursues. Love fights - and He wins. Love comforts. He carries. Love enters in. He sets free...and he helps us remember.
"...Who brought you out of Egypt." Our mighty, loving God acted. He delivered. He brought his people out of bondage and offered them the only true place of freedom - life with him. God always reminds us first and foremost who he is because he wants us to trust his heart. Then he brings back to our remembrance what he has done. He gently reminds us what he has delivered us from. "And such were some of you." Slaves to sin. In bondage to the enemy. But God, with the blood of his Son, purchased our freedom, freeing us to live as his treasured possession. Not only have we been redeemed, but we have been granted value and worth in direct proportion to what God paid to redeem us. There is no greater love than this.
"Open wide your mouth and I will fill it." With these words, born out of his eternal abundance, God offers more. Can there even be more when our infinite God has already given us himself? There are no limits to the gifts and grace of God, because God himself knows no limit. Out of the Infinite pours the extravagant, the boundless, the endless, beyond imagination blessings of God. Not only are we reminded of who God is and what he has done, God throws open the floodgates of mercy - knowing how quickly our memories fade, and reminds us of what he WILL do. He gives assurance that no matter what comes, he is there pouring out grace upon grace, blessing upon blessing out of his eternal supply. In this moment, let us build our own memorial of remembrance within our hearts, and with faith and confidence in who God is, what he has done, and what he promises to do, let us open wide our mouths that the Lord may fill us to overflowing.
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