Remembering…
The process of Remembering is my Life’s Textbook of Memories of the good and the difficult times of life. These memories shape my choices for the Now of Life. Yes, I am the old lady who begins every conversation with, “I remember when…” And every family get-together with, “Do you remember when?”
I remember the moment when I exhibited haughtiness of pride when I was 6 years old, and learned that pride goes before a literal fall at the front of church when I was 8 years old.
I remember lying under my bed dusting the floor on a Saturday morning, pushing the book I was reading. Then I hear Mom’s voice, “Are you working?” I didn’t want to lie, so I stashed the book under my mattress face up so I wouldn’t lose my place before I answered, “Yes.” Mom knew, and hid my books before the Saturday morning chores.
I remember so many things and consider it a blessing of note, especially now that my husband of almost 64 years doesn’t always remember me, or our children. One evening as we prayed, my husband commented he was confused and couldn’t remember. Somehow God gave me the words, “As long as you know that God loves you, and He holds you in His arms, you know everything you need to know. Nothing else matters in this life except you know you love God and trust Him!’
One morning last week, I woke up with a song in my heart. It was part of a dream. I sang it while preparing breakfast, “I won’t have to cross Jordan alone…Jesus died all my sins to atone…In the darkness I see, He’ll be waiting for me…I won’t have to cross Jordan alone.
Haven’t thought about that song for years. Why now?
Somehow the lyrics of many songs speak to me. Music was non-stop in our house while we grew up. Now the songs I enjoyed most come back to bathe me in sweet memories.
I remember the table at the front of church with the words, Do This in Remembrance of Me. I have a warm ‘throw’ from an elder in Rogers, and it reminds me of him. I have an old glass that was my GrossMom’s (grandmother). Though cracked and old, it reminds me of my Grandmother. On my dining room table is a napkin holder, my husband and I purchased for my Mom while on our honeymoon. It now reminds me of the love of Mom. I drink coffee every morning from a cup that our eldest son, who died over a year ago…gave me and I remember.
Even so, Jesus left this message to his disciples, But the Helper will teach you everything and cause you to remember all that I told you. This Helper is the Holy Spirit that the Father will send in my name. John 14:26. He left a reminder that comes to live within us when we choose to allow Him in our hearts. Choice. Our choice has to be made all the way. Do we choose to rest in God’s Word or wrest with our doubts.
This means an every-day commitment and remembering. For we encounter so many times when we make that choice each day to rest in God’s Word! Remembering is resting in His promises and in His Love.
But how do we know God means it? Will He keep his promises? There are many photos of rainbows because people are always in awe of the rainbow and its glory. Every time I see a rainbow, I praise God! Yes, I am confirming my covenant with you. Never again will floodwaters kill all living creatures; never again will a flood destroy the earth.” Then God said, “I am giving you a sign of my covenant with you and with all living creatures, for all generations to come. I have placed my rainbow in the clouds. It is the sign of my covenant with you and with all the earth. Genesis 9:11-13
God knows we need a reminder to remember Him and His promises. He is the Lord our God; his judgments are in all the earth. He remembers his covenant forever, the word that he commanded, for a thousand generations, the covenant that he made with Abraham, his sworn promise to Isaac. Psalm 105:7-9
God remembers his covenants and his own, and He remembers us. David wants just what we want through Christ Jesus…that God remembers us as pure and holy and we ask Him to remember us according to steadfast love….Remember not the sins of my youth or my transgressions; according to your steadfast love remember me, for the sake of your goodness, O Lord! Psalm 25:7.
Remembering – how do you remember His Love and the sacrifice of Jesus? The first step is surrender to Him. Surrender our hearts and our lives to Him with all that is in us.
For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. The saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works. These things are excellent and profitable for people. Titus 3:3-8.
How does God remember us? He has engraved our name on the palms of his hands…and sealed us with the promised Holy Spirit. Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are continually before me. Isaiah 49:16.
In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit. Ephesians 1:13
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