Memories

Today I found an email in the inbox from an old clergy friend whom I have not heard from in years.  While it was a nice catching up note, it brought back some memories of times we shared together in another era of both of our lives.  Whenever I think about a serious bout of laughter, I always remember a round of golf we played.  Along the course, something happened and uncontrollable laughter burst out from both of us.  It was like a long playing record!  I am grateful we were created with the capacity to remember.  While some things may be hard to remember, the good memories surely outweigh the bad ones.

 

We may not think about it as we go along our faith walk, but it is littered with things that make memoires.  All of us can look back at some of the difficult hours in our life, hours when it seemed that the darkness would surely overtake us, and remember how God showed up in some unexpected way.  And, there are those memories of worship and memories of times when we were overwhelmed with an awareness of the goodness of God.  Those memories of God showing up in our lives are always treasures that have sustaining and strengthening power.

 

As we read the Scripture, we find the Word of God calling us to remember.  The Hebrews were called to remember their deliverance from Egypt.  There are places in the Psalms that seem like someone has opened a scrapbook that called people to remember God as their helper.  Jesus told stories and parables that helped those who followed Him to more easily remember the divine truths He was teaching.   Those things we remember about God are things which encourage us as we go forward.  As we run into the uncertainties and the difficulties of living, it is good to remember how God has been in those places with us in the past.