God’s Gift of Memory Fosters Gratitude, Growth and Wonder
Social media has become a questionable activity. It’s a well-known time waster. Since we’ve just come through the elections, we know that lies and propaganda abound in social media. There are ads that encourage us to buy things we don’t need, and arguments that erupt from strongly voiced opinions.
But still, I scroll. I try to control my scrolling, and admittedly I do it less. However, that’s not because of some inner fortitude I have, but because it offers me less of what I once enjoyed in social media. Recently, someone in my social media feed posted old photos they had taken with a film camera, and it sparked a nugget of gratitude.
Remembering
My mind wandered to the basket of old film rolls I still need to develop. From there, I remembered snapshots I had taken long ago. Pictures of my children when they were small, family camping trips, holidays, and photographs taken in the moment that captured my children’s distinctiveness.
My mind traveled to the little Kodak camera I had in junior high school, and the memories I captured of my family as I was growing up. I recalled my parents and how they were when I was young. I remembered my siblings, along with the laughter, the fights, and the camaraderie.
My heart was blessed and encouraged as I mentally journeyed through my past with thanksgiving.
A Biblical Idea
Remembering is a Biblical idea. God created the rainbow as a reminder of His covenant with Noah to never destroy the whole earth again with a flood. In Genesis 9:14-15 God says, “Whenever I form clouds over the earth and the bow appears in the clouds, I will remember my covenant between me and you and all the living creatures…” (CSB)
In Joshua four we read about a command God gave Joshua and the Israelites. They were to gather stones from the middle of the Jordan river where they crossed on dry ground. One man from each tribe picked up a large stone and carried it on his shoulder. When they crossed to Gilgal, on the other side, they built a memorial. The memorial was to enable them to recollect all that God had done for them.
“And [Joshua] said to the Israelites, ‘In the future, when your children ask their fathers, “What is the meaning of these stones?” you should tell your children, “Israel crossed the Jordan on dry ground,” For the LORD your God dried up the water of the Jordan before you until you had crossed over, just as the LORD our God did to the Red Sea, which he dried up before us until we had crossed over. This is so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the LORD’s hand is strong, and so that you may always fear the LORD your God.’”
Joshua 4:21-24 CSB
Jesus commanded all of us to remember in Luke 22:19 when He said, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” (CSB) Christ didn’t want us to forget the significance and power of what He was about to do. The Son of God knew we would need to recall all that He did for us that we were unable to do for ourselves. Jesus gave Himself as the payment for our sins, consequently freeing us and providing access to God’s presence.
A Holy Gift
Our memory is a holy gift. It empowers us to recall the goodness and faithfulness of God. Memory is what enables us to learn; without memory we would begin each day with a blank slate. Memory also allows us to draw upon past experiences which helps us make sense of what is happening in the present. In an article for Psychology Today, Chris Heath, M.D., states, “We’re built of blocks of memory that all fit together to form our consciousness.”
Think about the wonder of that. If the building blocks of our memory are focused on God, then our consciousness will be centered on Him. Remembering every good and perfect gift our Father has given us, creates in us a mind that continues to see Him everywhere we look.
A Characteristic of God
Memory is a characteristic of God. Genesis 8:1 tells us God remembered Noah. We’ve already learned God said the rainbow would remind Him of the covenant He had made with Noah. In Genesis 19:29, God remembers Abraham. Psalm 98:3 states God remembered his love and faithfulness to the house of Israel. Psalm 136:23 informs us that God faithfully remembers us, even in our weakness, humiliation, or lowly condition.
As I pondered this idea of memory being a God-characteristic I was overwhelmed. God’s memory bank overflows with images of you and me. Just as my memory sees my daughter in her tutu swimsuit, and my son in his batman costume, God’s memory sees me. God’s memory sees you.
God Doesn’t Forget Us
“[The LORD answered] ‘Can a woman forget her nursing child and have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, but I will not forget you. Indeed, I have inscribed [a picture of] you on the palms of My hands…”
Isaiah 49:15-16 Amplified
God won’t ever forget us. There’s not a moment where His memory fails, and He can’t recall who we are. Our family members may become preoccupied and forget our birthday. Our boss could forget he mentioned a raise. Our friends might forget a coffee date we scheduled. Allow me to repeat: God won’t ever forget us.
Scrolling social media is still not the best way to spend all our free time. Still, God can use it to spark gratitude. May we be thankful for the marvelous people and adventures God gave who enriched our past lives teaching us about who He is. Let us be grateful for our families and all the moments we’ve created together that emphasize to each of our hearts the goodness and faithfulness of our Lord. Furthermore, may our hearts be filled with awe because God remembers each of us in love. Hallelujah, praise His holy name!
Old Photos Photo by Laura Fuhrman on Unsplash
Thanks for sharing. It’s the time of year I take time to remember my years on this earth and spend time thanking God for His abundant blessings to me. I love the fact that God remembers us!! What an amazing thought that He even thinks of us, each of us ❤️ Happy Thanksgiving!
And Happy HAPPY Thanksgiving to you!