Theme:  

GRATITTUDE FLOWS AS WE INTENTIONALLY REMEMBER GOD’S BLESSINGS

Looking back as a country (DRC), as families, and as individuals in 2025, we each have testimonies of how God has provided answers to our prayers and how He has protected us through difficult times. Yet, we still trust Him for other requests in 2026

In the same way, our text presents the Israelites at the Jordan River, coming from 40 years in the desert. They had experienced many ups and downs, and now they were about to enter the Promised Land, a land of abundance where they would lack nothing. However, God took time to warn them not to forget Him!

John 14:2–3 reveals to us a Promised Land that we, as Christians, are also expecting. In parallel with the Israelites, this message reminds us of what we should remember so that we do not forget God on this journey.

• We should remember how the Lord led us. Exodus 15:22–24 and Exodus 16 show us that life in the desert was not easy, yet the Bible reveals how God miraculously provided for His people. In our own lives, we may face seasons that feel like a desert, but the fact that we are here today is clear proof that God has provided for us. It can be difficult to thank Him in uncertain moments, but Isaiah 45:11–12 reminds us that God is sovereign and in control of everything. Therefore, no matter the ups and downs of 2026, let us not forget Him, because He leads our lives

• We should remember His sustenance. (Psalm 124)  in the desert, God fed them, led them, and protected them. For forty years, their clothes did not wear out, and their feet did not swell. In Deuteronomy 8:3, He taught them to depend on Him alone. He was everything to them. This is also our testimony as the city of Goma in 2025. If He sustained us throughout 2025, He is the same God who can sustain us in 2026. Let us trust Him.

• We must remember His commandments. A grateful lifestyle is expressed through obedience to God’s Word. John 14:2–3 and Revelation 21:4 describe the Promised Land awaiting us. Therefore, we must be careful not to forget His commandments.

In every situation, God has provided for us and sustained us. As a result, we should live in gratitude and obedience, following His commandment, which is summarized in loving Him and loving our neighbor. (Mathew 22:37-38)