Remembering with Betsy Gómez
On today’s episode of the Journeywomen podcast I’m chatting with Betsy Gómez about remembering. We talked about everything from why it’s important for us to practice the discipline of remembrance to how actually doing so impacts our everyday lives. We really hope you’ll find this conversation helpful as you remember, reflect upon, and rejoice in the reality of the gospel as you look back on your year.
So you’ll know her a little better, Betsy has a passion to help others savor the gospel. She manages the blogs and supervises media for Aviva Nuestros Corazones, the Revive Our Hearts Hispanic outreach. She’s pursuing a master’s degree in Ministry to Women at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. Betsy, her husband, Moisés, and their two sons, Josué and Samuel are soon transitioning to Irving, Texas; where Moises will serve as a Pastor.
Can you tell us a little about who you are and what you do?
Why is remembering an important practice for believers?
What is it that we are striving to remember?
Where do we see the Bible exhorting us to remember and not forget? Where is the discipline of remembrance practiced in Scripture?
What happened to God’s people when they forgot who he was and what he had promised? What happens when we fail to remember/when we forget?
When we recognize that we’ve forgotten who God is and what he has done for us, what is the appropriate response?
How do you practice the discipline of remembrance on a daily basis? Weekly? Seasonally?
What are some practical ways we can practice the discipline of remembrance in our homes? Churches? With friends?
What are some things that the church at large has practiced, both today and throughout the history of the church, that aid us in remembering who God is and what he has done?
What is the joy doing that together as a church body?
THREE QUESTIONS I ASK EVERY GUEST
What 3 resources would you recommend for someone who wants to practice the discipline of remembrance?
What are your 3 simple joys?
Who has had the greatest impact on your own journey with Jesus?
NOTEWORTHY QUOTES
“The problem is that sin has distorted all things, including our capacity to keep the truth in mind. Sin has made us forgetful.”
“We need to stick to the same truths of who God is and the goodness of his character.”
“Biblical remembering is not like a mental exercise. This remembering according to God should lead us to love and treasure God, to obey God. It’s a call to action.”
“The Bible was written as a memorial to God’s people. The fact that God’s Word is a book with a message that has been passed down from generation to generation is an indicator itself that we need to remember the truth and hold fast to it. So we see that throughout the story line of the Bible, God remembering his covenantal relationship with his people.”
“In Genesis, most of the verses about remembering is God telling the people that he remembers. He is not asking his people to do something that he’s not doing.”
“When they forget, the ended up as slaves in misery. They became idolatrous. We are made from the same material that those who made and worshipped the golden calf. We are the same human beings in the same condition. Our spiritual forgetfulness makes us vulnerable to all kinds of lies. And believing lies leads us to all kinds of sin.”
“When we fail to remember, our memories of the truth of God will fade and we will start serving the god of our desires and our imagination, just like Israel did.”
“My brain and my heart are like a teflon pan. It’s really hard for the truth to stick.”
“The key for our spiritual amnesia is to intentionally recall and recount God’s faithfulness.”
“Sometimes we remember, but we are not willing to act upon that truth. We need to ask for repentance. And a repentant heart will eventually lead us to praise and thankfulness.”
“I need to inform my emotions with the truth.”
“We want something new to stir up our emotions. But it becomes a religion. We need to get really basic and really honest that we only need Jesus.”
“In a generation where it feels like you can do church online, we are missing the point. The church is intended for us to grow in godliness as a body. You can’t do that virtually. You need to open your life, so they can see what you need to be reminded of.”
“When I feel uncomfortable with where the Lord has placed me, I need to confess to myself that I am making the church experience about myself.”
“The glory of God is the main goal. When I understand that I need community and when I understand that the Bible is my authority, then I am free to serve and to do community with the people I’m surrounded with. I think that we need to surround ourselves with people who will tell us the truth, and we need to be intentional in speaking the truth.”
“We are united in Christ. If the only thing we have in common is the gospel, that’s fine and that’s right. The joy of knowing that we belong to each other is just a rehearsal of what we will do for eternity in heaven.”
“We don’t need anything new. Our duty is to awaken our memories.” -Charles Spurgeon
BETSY’S RESOURCES FOR REMEMBERING
Meditating, memorizing, journaling to remember truths
The Advent calendar with the Jesus Storybook Bible
New Morning Mercies for a daily gospel reminder
Revive our Hearts podcast
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
Deuteronomy 4:9
Genesis 8:1
Numbers 16:30
Psalm 77:11
Psalm 103
Luke 22:19
1 Corinthians 11
BETSY’S SIMPLE JOYS
Traveling with her family
Movie nights with hot cocoa and warm bread
Teaching and writing
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
When are you most prone to experience spiritual forgetfulness?
How can you practice the discipline of remembrance (daily, weekly, and seasonally)?
How can your local church help you remember the gospel?
What are you going to do or implement as a result of what you’ve learned this week?
IMPORTANT NOTE
Journeywomen interviews are intended to serve as a springboard for continued study in the context of your local church. While we carefully select guests each week, interviews do not imply Journeywomen's endorsement of all writings and positions of the interviewee or any other resources mentioned.
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