Devotion for the week...
How's your memory? I often joke that mine is like a sieve 😂 If something isn't written down in my planner, there's a good chance I'm going to forget about it. I know I'm not alone in this. Paul has been known to go to school without his coffee, even though the travel mug is right there by the door where he puts his shoes on, and I have a friend who makes notes in her phone constantly so she'll remember things she needs to do.
It seems Peter had encountered people with the same problem in his day. He wrote, "Therefore, I will always remind you about these things—even though you already know them and are standing firm in the truth you have been taught" (2 Peter 1:12). The things he was referring to were the foundational truths of the faith, which he had already shared in the earlier part of his letter; things like "By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires" (vv. 3-4).
Peter was writing to believers, to people who already knew all of this, but he recognized the importance of repeating the truth, of reminding people again and again of what they believe. Sure, they (and we) already know it, but hearing it again can't hurt. In fact, there are two benefits to reminding ourselves and each other of the truths we believe.
First, the reminder brings the truth to the forefront of our minds again. We may know God has given us everything we need for living a hold life, but have we thought about that recently? Have we let ourselves dwell on it and rely on it? Or have we been struggling along trying to do everything in our own strength?
Second, the reminder helps the truth settle into our minds a little deeper. If you've heard something once, you may remember it for a little while, but if you've heard it a hundred times you're more likely to remember it forever. Just think about how often we sing the alphabet song with kids to help them remember their letters, or how often you repeat 'righty-tighty, lefty-loosey' to yourself. Repetition works!
Going to church, reading our Bibles, and listening to Christian music are all ways to continually be reminded to the things we believe. I hope these devotions serve as reminders, too!