“You shall dwell in booths for seven days. All native Israelites shall dwell in booths, that your generations may know that I made the people of Israel dwell in booths when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.” – Leviticus 23:42-43
People have short memories. Even the most striking and vivid events in our lives gradually blur and fade over time. And we may, or may not, pass those memories down through the generations. God knows all about human forgetfulness. That’s one reason the Old Covenant included annual feasts and festivals focused on engaging the senses to retell, and symbolically relive, the great works of God.
The experience of the Exodus was to be retold over an elaborate dinner every year at Passover. Older generations were to testify to the younger generations about God’s saving power. The experience of the Wilderness was to be retold every year during the Feast of Booths, as one generation testified to the next about God’s gracious provision.
If you aren’t Jewish, you aren’t required to celebrate these festivals. But what are your annual reminders, traditions, and celebrations that serve to keep your memory fresh about God’s miraculous works and ways? What celebrations do you use to pass the story of God’s power and presence to rising generations? What do you use to engage the senses and refresh your memory about God’s grace and mercy? People have short memories. Brainstorm ways you could regularly refresh your memory about God’s goodness and share those memories with others. #FollowJesus