January 8

Psalm 118

"On this day the LORD has acted; we will rejoice and be glad in it."

Forgive a little Greek today. When Jesus said, "do this in remembrance of me," the Greek word translated as "remembrance is Anamnesis. Sadly, English words like "memory" and "remember" have a purely mental connotation. They take place only in our minds. But a more accurate translation of anamnesis might be "recall," as in recalling an ambassador from another country. Do you see the difference? To "recall" an event does not mean to mentally remember it. Anamnesis means that we are recalling the past event into the present, so that the past event is no longer past.

When the Israelites sang this psalm to commemorate the Passover, they were "recalling" their liberation from bondage in Egypt, so that they would know the same sense of freedom and release into God's hands that their ancestors had known. In that way, they could truly sing that on this day God has, indeed, acted.

When we Christians "recall" Jesus's death and resurrection, our time of past and present and future is joined with God's eternal time. There is not past or future with God, but one eternal present. Jesus died once for our sins, and Jesus is always giving himself for our redemption. Jesus has died for you and risen for you "on this day." Rejoice, be glad, and act with confidence.