25 “But Abraham replied, ‘Son, REMEMBER that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. Luke 16
Jesus lifted the veil for us to see into eternity in the account of Lazarus the beggar and the rich man in the afterlife. Lazarus retained his Name in eternity but didn’t speak, while the wealthy man was unnamed but pleaded with Abraham for himself and his brothers, who still lived. He REMEMBERED them and didn’t want them to end up where he was. The sad thing was that Abraham told him that his brothers would refuse to believe even if someone rose from the dead, heralding Christ’s own sacrifice.
41 We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.’
42 Then he said, ‘Jesus, REMEMBER me when you come into your kingdom.’
43 Jesus answered him, ‘Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.’ Luke 23
Another separation in Luke’s Gospel, right the point of death, but Jesus extended mercy to the man who asked Him to Remember him when He came into His Kingdom. That request was all that was needed for the Lord to show him mercy and grant him the blessings of paradise.
5 In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? 6 He is not here; he has risen! REMEMBER how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: 7 ‘The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’ ” 8 Then they REMEMBERED his words. Luke 24
The women had gone to Jesus’ tomb to pay a final act of homage to his dead body, yet His body wasn’t there. They had an encounter with two men in gleaming clothes who told them to Recall Jesus’ words while in Galilee. Something from our past may hold the key to fully understanding and gaining a truer perspective of our present. Why not ask the Lord if there’s some memory or lesson from our past that will benefit us right now and give fresh understanding. Ask and be still, an answer may come now or later, but just ask.
God bless and keep you today. Immanuel, God is with us.