If you’ve been around GraceLaced for any length of time, you’ve probably heard our founder, Ruth Chou Simons, talk about the importance of preaching the truth of God’s Word to our souls on a regular basis. Why? Because we all wrestle with the same problem: forgetfulness.
If you find yourself especially prone to forgetting what’s true, take heart—you’re not the only one. In fact, the Bible chronicles how God’s people have historically struggled with the very same thing… to remember who He is and what He’s like.
For example, when it was time for the Israelites to enter the Promised Land God had led them to, after 40 years of walking in the wilderness, they panicked at the report of well-fortified cities and strong men…
“Would that we had died in the land of Egypt! Or would that we had died in this wilderness! Why is the Lord bringing us into this land, to fall by the sword? Our wives and little ones will become a prey. Would it not be better for us to go back to Egypt?” Numbers 14:2-4
At that moment, the Israelites failed to remember how God had delivered them from slavery in Egypt, to begin with (Ex. 13)! How he’d destroyed the Egyptians in the Red Sea after they walked through it on dry land (Ex. 14). How he’d miraculously provided manna (Ex. 16) and quail to eat (Ex. 16, Numb. 11) and water to drink (Ex. 17, Num. 20). How He’d led them from a cloud during the day and by fire at night (Ex. 13, Num. 9).
Time after time, God had shown Himself to be faithful but in the face of unknown circumstances, the people panicked.
Aren’t we just as forgetful as the Israelites sometimes?
We fail to remember how God has rescued us from the slavery of sin (Eph. 2). How He protects us like a Shepherd watching over sheep Ps. 23). How he provides for every need we have (Phil. 4:19). How He’s given us His Spirit who lives in us to help guide us (John 14:26).
Time after time, God has shown Himself to be faithful in our lives, but as we face difficult or unknown circumstances, we panic. We get anxious—worried about what’s in front of us and all the possible outcomes.
These are the moments we have to preach the truth of God’s Word to our souls. We have to remind ourselves of who God is and what He’s like!
Joshua and Caleb reminded the Israelites that God had led them, that He was with them, and that there was nothing to fear:
“...The land, which we passed through to spy it out, is exceedingly good land. If the Lord delights in us, he will bring us into the land and give it to us, a land that flows with milk and honey. Only do not rebel against the Lord. And do not fear the people of the land, for they are bread for us. Their protection is removed from them, and the Lord is with us; do not fear them.” Numbers 14:7-9
So, how do we practically remind ourselves about what God is like? We look to God’s Word, and we rehearse what it says—what’s true. To help you do that, Ruth and the GraceLaced team developed a new product: Preach To Yourself Deck.
These decks are designed to help you keep truths from God’s Word at your fingertips. Each card is a tangible reminder that’s small enough to tuck in your wallet, Bible, bag, or card for a friend and features a verse or short passage paired with Ruth’s signature art.
Our first Preach To Yourself Deck has 52 verses about God’s care to help you remember who He is and what He’s like. Hang the cards up, display them on your desk, use them to memorize a verse, give them away to encourage a friend, or just meditate on a new one each week—the possibilities are endless, but the aim is the same: preach truth to your forgetful soul and remember who He is.
—GraceLaced team
Listen to Ruth and our teammate, Eve, discuss preaching to yourself on The GraceLaced Podcast:
Ep. 04: Preach To Yourself
Other blog posts about this topic:
Preach To Yourself
Spring: Rehearsing the Truth
Preaching to Your Anxious Heart in the Night
Additional Resources on Preaching Truth To Yourself:
Truthfilled Bible Study
Truthfilled Teen Bible Study
Preach To Yourself Deck: 52 Reminders of God's Care from the Psalms