Remembrances

by Tim Howard

The gift of memory is wonderful – Especially ‘selective’ memory! 

Calling to mind the past can bring tremendous joy and help you recover from darkness and depression. Jeremiah in the book of Lamentations tells us how he was freed from depression – He recalled the goodness of the Lord in times past.

We all forget things occasionally and forgetfulness affects you on some level depending on what it is you have forgotten. I frequently forget where I put my keys and that results in frustration. I have missed some important appointments, which caused embarrassment and one time I forget my tickets to enter an event. 

If you read Psalms 106 you will encounter a people who forgot God’s goodness. Then they forgot all His good works and ultimately they forgot to involve God in their lives. When this happens life is drastically altered.

Of course there are certain things you ought to put out of your mind and cease to focus upon but other things you must not forget. The Apostle Peter nearing death knew the importance of remembrance and says: 2Pet. 1:12-15 “So I will always remind you of these things, even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth you now have. I think it is right to refresh your memory as long as I live in the tent of this body because I know that I will soon put it aside as our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. And I will make every effort to see that after my departure you will always be able to remember these things. 

Someone said: “We need to learn something new less than we need to be reminded of what we’ve forgotten. 

Here are a few humorous reminders I’ve read over the years.

Remember: The only consistent feature of all your dysfunctional relationships is you.

Remember: When you earnestly believe you can compensate for a lack of skill by doubling your efforts, there's no end to what you CAN’T do.

Don’t forget: Education is what you get when you read the fine print. Experience is what you get if you don’t.

Here are five significant reminders that might be helpful for you to remember as you walk out 2014.

1. What gets your attention ultimately gets you. 

Since this is true, the Apostle Paul in Philippians 4 tells us to focus on What’s true, noble, pure, positive etc… Your success and fruitfulness in 2014 will largely depend upon what you focus on. 

2. Even though you may be ‘IN’ pain, you don’t have to be ’A’ pain. 

All of us encounter some form of turmoil and pain but we don’t have to let it create a bad attitude. When this happens you become an odor and not a fragrance to others. 

3. You can give without love but you cannot love and not give. 

Therefore, make sure your giving isn’t based on pressure or guilt but love. Paul says: Cor. 13:3 “If I give all I possess to the poor…that I may boast but do not have love, I gain nothing.”

4. The smallest act of obedience is better then the best of intentions!

5. What’s right isn’t always popular and what’s popular isn’t always right! 

Remembrances come in many forms. Don’t forget the important things of life!

Sea of Forgetfulness

by Blake Cromwell

This year I will turn 50 and I am not lamenting the loss of my youthful strength or stamina, but my loss of short-term memory. All my life I have had the ability to remember little details such as numbers and dates. Now I find that not only can I not remember what I did last night, but I keep missing appointments too.

My children tease me that my “senior moments” are really senility setting in. They have encouraged me to sign over my bank accounts before I can’t remember their names. The only good I can see as a result of this problem is that I no longer can fixate on small problems. How can you worry about something when you don’t remember it?

God has a good forgetter too. But His forgetfulness is based upon a decision He makes not a sign of age. The Bible teaches us that, “He remembers no more our sins.”

Bruce Larson tells the true story of a Catholic priest who lived in the Philippines, a much-beloved man of God who carried a secret burden of long-past sin buried deep in his heart. He had committed the sin only once, many years before, during his time in college. No one else knew of this sin. He had repented of it and had suffered years of remorse for it, but he still had no peace, nor inner joy — no sense of God’s forgiveness.

A woman in his parish who had a deep love for God claimed to have spiritual dreams in which she spoke with Christ. The priest, however, was doubtful of her claims, so to test her visions he said asked her, “The next time you have one of these visions, I want you to ask Christ what sin your priest committed while he was in college.”

The woman agreed and went home. When she returned to the church a few days later, the priest said, “Well, did Christ visit you in your dreams?”
“Yes, He did,” she replied.
“And did you ask Him what sin I committed in college?”
“Yes, I asked Him.”
“Well, what did He say?”
He said, “I don’t remember.”

God wants us to realize that His forgiveness includes His forgetfulness. We all know people who say they have forgiven but their forgiveness is only verbal. They still resent and silently mistrust. They hold on to it, which creates a wall between them and the person who has sought their forgiveness.

But God’s forgiveness is perfect. There are no walls between you and Him because He refuses to remember the sins you confess. You have a clear record, for He has placed your sins in the “Sea of Forgiveness.” One preacher said, “God has thrown your sins in the Sea of Forgetfulness and put a sign there that reads, “No Fishing Allowed.”

I don’t know about you, but I have some history that I want to be thrown in the “Sea of Forgetfulness.” The good news of Jesus Christ is that He can and will place your sins in that sea, all we must do is ask