“But God remembered Noah and all the wild animals and livestock with him in the boat. He sent a wind to blow across the earth, and the floodwaters began to recede. The underground waters stopped flowing, and the torrential rains from the sky were stopped. So the floodwaters gradually receded from the earth. After 150 days, exactly five months from the time the flood began, the boat came to rest on the mountains of Ararat.”
Genesis 8:1-4 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/gen.8.1-4.NLT
The situation changed because God remembered Noah. They had a relationship. They had a covenant.
“Then God remembered Rachel’s plight and answered her prayers by enabling her to have children. She became pregnant and gave birth to a son. “God has removed my disgrace,” she said. And she named him Joseph, for she said, “May the Lord add yet another son to my family.””
Genesis 30:22-24 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/gen.30.22-24.NLT
Rachel was remembered by God because of her prayers. That was a connection.
Joseph was born and he went on to be Prime Minister of Egypt because a woman prayed ….. and God remembered.
“God heard their groaning, and he remembered his covenant promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He looked down on the people of Israel and knew it was time to act.”
Exodus 2:24-25 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/exo.2.24-25.NLT
When the children of Israel groaned to God, He remembered his promises to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
“And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will. And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.”
Romans 8:26-28 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/rom.8.26-28.NLT
It is important to take our pains to God with the help of the Holy Spirit than take our issues to the world for solutions. God first!
“The entire family got up early the next morning and went to worship the Lord once more. Then they returned home to Ramah. When Elkanah slept with Hannah, the Lord remembered her plea, and in due time she gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, for she said, “I asked the Lord for him.””
1 Samuel 1:19-20 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/1sa.1.19-20.NLT
The same usual process of intimacy between a man and woman changed because this time something had happened at Shiloh. She had petitioned God with groaning. She had taken her petition to the right place. Samuel was conceived.
“That night the king had trouble sleeping, so he ordered an attendant to bring the book of the history of his reign so it could be read to him. In those records he discovered an account of how Mordecai had exposed the plot of Bigthana and Teresh, two of the eunuchs who guarded the door to the king’s private quarters. They had plotted to assassinate King Xerxes. “What reward or recognition did we ever give Mordecai for this?” the king asked. His attendants replied, “Nothing has been done for him.” “Who is that in the outer court?” the king inquired. As it happened, Haman had just arrived in the outer court of the palace to ask the king to impale Mordecai on the pole he had prepared. So the attendants replied to the king, “Haman is out in the court.” “Bring him in,” the king ordered. So Haman came in, and the king said, “What should I do to honor a man who truly pleases me?” Haman thought to himself, “Whom would the king wish to honor more than me?” So he replied, “If the king wishes to honor someone, he should bring out one of the king’s own royal robes, as well as a horse that the king himself has ridden—one with a royal emblem on its head. Let the robes and the horse be handed over to one of the king’s most noble officials. And let him see that the man whom the king wishes to honor is dressed in the king’s robes and led through the city square on the king’s horse. Have the official shout as they go, ‘This is what the king does for someone he wishes to honor!’” “Excellent!” the king said to Haman. “Quick! Take the robes and my horse, and do just as you have said for Mordecai the Jew, who sits at the gate of the palace. Leave out nothing you have suggested!” So Haman took the robes and put them on Mordecai, placed him on the king’s own horse, and led him through the city square, shouting, “This is what the king does for someone he wishes to honor!” Afterward Mordecai returned to the palace gate, but Haman hurried home dejected and completely humiliated. When Haman told his wife, Zeresh, and all his friends what had happened, his wise advisers and his wife said, “Since Mordecai—this man who has humiliated you—is of Jewish birth, you will never succeed in your plans against him. It will be fatal to continue opposing him.” While they were still talking, the king’s eunuchs arrived and quickly took Haman to the banquet Esther had prepared.”
Esther 6:1-14 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/est.6.1-14.NLT
Haman had planned to execute Mordecai. Mordecai was in the history records for saving the king but had been forgotten, but the record remained. Our acts, sacrifices might be forgotten but they are recorded.
At the time of crisis God denied the king sleep so that Mordecai could be remembered.
Remembrance comes at the right time!
The enemy was counting Mordecai’s last hours.
The king was planning Mordecai’s honor in the same hours.
It was the deeds by Mordecai that turned the tables.
There was a remembrance.
When God remembers:
– Things change,
– Execution orders become awards of honor,
– Tables turn.
But God can only remember from deeds or acts of faith!
NOTHING CANNOT BE REMEMBERED!