Don’t Forget the Lord
Remembering Jesus changes the choices you make.
Before the children of Israel entered the promised land, Moses gave them a warning:
“Then beware lest thou forget the Lord…”
That warning may sound simple, but it is one of the most important messages in the entire book of Deuteronomy.
The children of Israel had seen miracles. They had been delivered from Egypt. They had crossed the Red Sea. They had been fed with manna. They had been led by the Lord for forty years.
And yet the Lord still warned them not to forget Him.
Why?
Because it is possible to receive blessings from God and still slowly drift away from Him.
It is possible to remember Him when life is hard, but forget Him when life is good. It is possible to pray when we are desperate, but stop turning to Him when we feel comfortable, busy, distracted, or successful.
That is why Moses taught:
“And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.”
Then he told the people to keep the Lord’s words in their hearts, teach them to their children, talk about them at home, speak of them as they walked, and write them where they would see them.
In other words, remembering the Lord does not usually happen by accident.
We need reminders.
That might be scripture study. It might be the sacrament. It might be a picture of Christ in your room. It might be a temple nearby. It might be a quote on your phone. It might be music that invites the Spirit. It might be a habit of prayer before school, before bed, or before making an important decision.
Elder Ulisses Soares taught:
“the more we remember the Lord, the more power we will have to keep on the path doing what the Lord expects from us.”
That is powerful.
Remembering the Lord is not just about thinking nice thoughts about Jesus. It gives us power. It affects what we say, what we watch, what we listen to, how we treat people, and how we respond when we are tempted.
President Henry B. Eyring taught:
“There is a simple cure for the terrible malady of forgetting God, His blessings, and His messages to us. Jesus Christ promised it to His disciples when He was about to be crucified, resurrected, and then taken away from them to ascend in glory to His Father. They were concerned to know how they would be able to endure when He was no longer with them.”
Here is the promise. It was fulfilled for them then. It can be fulfilled for all of us now:
“These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you.
“But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.”
The key to the remembering that brings and maintains testimony is receiving the Holy Ghost as a companion. It is the Holy Ghost who helps us see what God has done for us.”
That cure is the Holy Ghost, who can bring the things of God back to our remembrance.
So maybe the question for today is not just, “Do I believe in Jesus?”
Maybe the better question is:
What am I doing to remember Him?
Because when you remember Him, you are more likely to follow Him.
Reflection
What reminders help you remember Jesus Christ during your normal day?
Today’s Challenge
Create one simple reminder of the Lord this week. Put your scriptures somewhere visible, set a phone wallpaper with a Christ-centered message, write a scripture on a sticky note, or choose one daily moment to pause and remember Him.
Closing Thought
Forgetting the Lord usually happens slowly.
But remembering Him can start right now.
When you keep Christ before your eyes, His influence can stay in your heart.
Learn more Come Follow Me for Teens resources:
https://www.joshdowns.com/come-follow-me-for-teens
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