Reminders are very important. The average adult's attention span lasts only for about 20 minutes – unless the object of attention interests him so much – and some of the things that are being seen, heard or experienced at that time aren't even remembered clearly, no matter how spectacular they may be.
Because of our forgetfulness, we always need to be reminded.
Post-it notes
God knows this so well. We often read in various places in the Old Testament passages that show God, a man of God, or a minister, reminding the people of God of what He's done for them. You'll read time and again that the Israelites are reminded of what God has done for their deliverance from Egypt, as well as reminders to keep the commands of God always.
In the New Testament, you will also read believers reminding one another about what God has done. You read Peter preaching about what happened in the three years of Jesus' earthly ministry, and how the Holy Spirit's arrival was prophesied hundreds of years earlier (see Acts 2). You read Stephen preaching from the time of Abraham up to his time (see Acts 7).
Why the reminders?
All of these reminders were given so that we would understand that from the beginning of time, God has been pursuing His people who were very stubborn. God has been good all the time, yet some of us do not recognise this. God has been faithful to us, but some of us have not been faithful to Him.
All of these reminders plainly remind us of our sinful, broken nature, and our hopelessness without God.
Jesus' personal reminder
Yet in all our hopelessness, Christ came bringing us hope – a hope that no one else could snatch and steal. "Christ suffered for our sins once for all time. He never sinned, but He died for sinners to bring you safely home to God" (see 1 Peter 3:18).
His death and resurrection are our only hope in reconciling with God, in being forgiven of our sins, and in living the life that God intended for all of us.
The Lord knew that all of us are forgetful. That's why He Himself gave us reminders.
"For I pass on to you what I received from the Lord himself. On the night when He was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took some bread and gave thanks to God for it. Then he broke it in pieces and said, 'This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.'
"In the same way, he took the cup of wine after supper, saying, 'This cup is the new covenant between God and his people—an agreement confirmed with my blood. Do this in remembrance of me as often as you drink it.'
"For every time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you are announcing the Lord's death until he comes again" (1 Corinthians 11:23-26).
We need to remind ourselves all the time that Christ died for our sakes, and that His death and resurrection alone give us life.
