Deuteronomy 16:1-8: a reflection

1Observe the month of Abib, and keep the Passover to the LORD your God; for in the month of Abib the LORD your God brought you out of Egypt by night. 2You shall sacrifice the Passover to the LORD your God, of the flock and the herd, in the place which the LORD shall choose to cause his name to dwell there. 3You shall eat no leavened bread with it. You shall eat unleavened bread with it seven days, even the bread of affliction (for you came out of the land of Egypt in haste) that you may remember the day when you came out of the land of Egypt all the days of your life. 4No yeast shall be seen with you in all your borders seven days; neither shall any of the meat, which you sacrifice the first day at evening, remain all night until the morning. 5You may not sacrifice the Passover within any of your gates which the LORD your God gives you; 6but at the place which the LORD your God shall choose to cause his name to dwell in, there you shall sacrifice the Passover at evening, at the going down of the sun, at the season that you came out of Egypt. 7You shall roast and eat it in the place which the LORD your God chooses. In the morning you shall return to your tents. 8Six days you shall eat unleavened bread. On the seventh day shall be a solemn assembly to the LORD your God. You shall do no work.

God commands Israel to keep the Passover each year, and gives the reason: that you may remember the day when you came out of the land of Egypt all the days of your life. The yearly feast, with its unleavened bread of affliction, was to keep fresh in their memory the great deliverance God had worked, lest they forget it. The point was remembrance: that they would not forget, but keep alive, all their days, the memory of how God had delivered them.

Notice the purpose of the feast: to keep the memory of God's deliverance fresh, lest it be forgotten. God knew that his people were prone to forget even his greatest works; the deliverance from Egypt, so momentous when it happened, could fade from memory over the years. So he gave them a yearly feast to keep it fresh, to make them remember, all the days of their lives, how he had delivered them. The remembering was not automatic; it had to be cultivated, kept fresh, lest the great deliverance be forgotten.

That is worth taking to heart, for we too are prone to forget God's deliverances, and need to keep their memory fresh. God has worked deliverances in our lives, moments when he saved, provided, rescued; but the memory of them can fade over time, and we can forget, living as though he had not done such things. Like Israel, we need to keep the memory of God's deliverances fresh, to recall and remember them deliberately, lest we forget. Do not let the memory of God's deliverances in your life fade and be forgotten; keep it fresh, recalling deliberately what God has done, as Israel kept the Passover to remember their deliverance all their days. Cultivate the remembrance of God's works in your life, returning to them, keeping them fresh, so that you do not forget the God who has delivered you, but carry the memory of his deliverances all your days, as God gave Israel the Passover that they might remember.

Lord, you command Israel to keep the Passover each year, and give the reason: that you may remember the day when you came out of the land of Egypt all the days of your life. The yearly feast was to keep fresh in their memory the great deliverance you had worked, lest they forget it. The point was remembrance: that they would not forget, but keep alive, all their days, the memory of how you had delivered them. Show me the purpose of the feast: to keep the memory of your deliverance fresh, lest it be forgotten. You knew that your people were prone to forget even your greatest works; the deliverance from Egypt could fade from memory over the years. So you gave them a yearly feast to keep it fresh. The remembering was not automatic; it had to be cultivated, lest the great deliverance be forgotten. Take that to my heart, for I too am prone to forget your deliverances, and need to keep their memory fresh. You have worked deliverances in my life, moments when you saved, provided, rescued; but the memory of them can fade, and I can forget, living as though you had not done such things. Like Israel, I need to keep the memory of your deliverances fresh. Keep me from letting the memory of your deliverances in my life fade and be forgotten; help me keep it fresh, recalling deliberately what you have done, Lord, as Israel kept the Passover. Help me carry the memory of your deliverances all my days.