Episode Overview

Podcast: Things Unseen with Sinclair B. Ferguson
Host: Ligonier Ministries
Episode: A Day to Remember
Date: January 26, 2026

In this reflective devotional episode, Sinclair B. Ferguson invites listeners to consider the biblical imperative to remember—especially God's command to remember the Sabbath. Drawing on personal anecdotes, scriptural insights, and practical analogies, Ferguson explores why intentional remembrance is a fundamental part of Christian spiritual formation and how God graciously provides rhythms and tools to aid in this practice.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Biblical Command to Remember

• Frequency in Scripture
  • Words about remembering and forgetting appear almost 200 times in the Bible, highlighting remembering as a crucial spiritual duty for Christians.
  • Famous verses include: “Remember your Creator in the days of your youth.”
• Not Just an Order—A Skill to Cultivate
  • Ferguson challenges the audience:
    • “How do you remember? … Can you really make yourself remember?” [01:23]
    • He shares childhood strategies, such as tying knots in a handkerchief or revisiting the place where he last recalled something, to illustrate the effort involved in active remembrance.
• Spiritual Versus Mystical Approaches
  • Christian remembrance isn't about mind-emptying (contrasting with some Eastern practices), but about filling one's mind with God's truth and using God-given “stimulants” to aid memory.

The Sabbath Commandment as a Means of Remembrance

• Exodus 20:8–11 — The Sabbath Command
  • “It's the commandment to remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.” [05:37]
  • The Sabbath provides a weekly opportunity to pause, reflect, assemble with other believers, and recalibrate spiritually.
• Beyond One Day—A Weekly Rhythm
  • Ferguson emphasizes, “I think people often make the mistake of thinking that the Sabbath commandment is about one day in the week. But if you read it carefully, you'll notice it's actually about seven days in the week: six days you work, one day you rest.” [08:06]
  • Adam’s first full day in creation was a day of rest, setting a precedent for reflection and worship before work.
• Spiritual Recalibration
  • “We need that space to have our minds decluttered and have our minds filled with the truth of God’s Word.” [09:11]
  • The Sabbath is compared to rebooting a computer:
    • “Close the program of the other six days, turn that off, wait for 30 seconds, reboot, and you’ll be recalibrated in such a way that you’ll be able to live with greater pleasure for the glory of God.” [10:10]

Evangelicals and the Sabbath—A Missed Blessing

• Neglected and Misunderstood
  • Ferguson laments, “I think it's one of the saddest things about evangelical Christianity that we see that commandment as probably the darkest of commandments. It's almost the commandment that you daren't mention among evangelical Christians.” [11:01]
  • He clarifies he’s not advocating a legalistic or joyless approach, but recognizes the depth lost by not embracing the Sabbath as God’s gift for spiritual renewal.

Practical Takeaway for Listeners

• Concrete Reminder
  • “So if you’re listening to this on a Monday, put something in the pocket of what you’ll wear this coming Sunday just in case you forget to remember.” [12:28]
  • Encourages a physical act to spark mental and spiritual remembrance.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the Nature of Remembering:
  • “It's all very well to be told to do it, but how do you do it? Can you really make yourself remember?” [01:17]
• On Spiritual Memory:
  • “The key to remembering is filling our minds with the truth of God and then employing the stimulants that God has given us to remember the things that we must never forget.” [03:54]
• On the Sabbath as Reboot:
  • “I remember how amazed I was after trying all kinds of things when I found the instructions saying, close the program, turn off the computer, take out the plug for 30 seconds, then reverse the process and reboot. And lo and behold, things worked very smoothly again. And remember, the Sabbath day is that kind of command.” [09:48]
• On the Loss in Evangelicalism:
  • “We've failed to recalibrate our lives that way. And actually, the evidence of it shows in so many different ways. There are so many things that we forget because of this one thing that we haven't remembered.” [11:56]

Important Segment Timestamps

• [00:08] Introduction to the week’s theme: remembering in Scripture.
• [01:17] Personal reflection on the mechanics of remembering.
• [03:54] Biblical principle: filling our minds with God’s truth.
• [05:37] Main example: The Sabbath command in Exodus 20.
• [08:06] Sabbath’s intended weekly rhythm and its creation precedent.
• [09:11] Recalibrating minds with God’s Word.
• [09:48] Computer reboot analogy for the Sabbath rest.
• [11:01] The neglect of Sabbath in evangelical circles.
• [12:28] Practical challenge to listeners—create a reminder for next Sunday.

Conclusion

Sinclair B. Ferguson powerfully elevates the principle of remembrance as an essential Christian discipline, centering on the biblical command to honor the Sabbath. By advocating for intentional rhythms and practical steps—and challenging cultural neglect—he offers an accessible yet profound reflection on how rest, reflection, and remembrance recalibrate believers for a life lived to the glory of God.