Remembrance (Jul 31)

It turns out that our brains hold lots of stuff. Every time we hear, see, or learn something, it gets stashed in there somewhere. Many tidbits that are stored become memories. We can sit and think and remember things that happened many years ago. Those things are still stored in our brains. Sometimes we forget things. Scientists say that the information is still stored in the brain; it is just inaccessible for some reason. Possibly we lose connections for some reason. But sometimes, an interesting thing happens. We experience something that we haven’t experienced in a very long time and we suddenly have a rush of other memories from that time period. It’s like that experience triggered a connection in the brain and all of a sudden, we have that connection to other related things. This has happened to me on various occasions and it can be sort of weird at times to remember things that were long forgotten.

In a similar manner, God can use all sorts of things to bring His word to our remembrance. We might catch a glimpse of something, or hear a little tidbit, or whatever and then suddenly remember something from God’s word that He spoke to our heart earlier. In this way, we remember the Word of God and may be reminded of what we must do or how we must act.

Jon 2:6-7 I went down to the bottoms of the mountains; the earth with her bars was about me forever: yet hast thou brought up my life from corruption, O LORD my God. (7) When my soul fainted within me I remembered the LORD: and my prayer came in unto thee, into thine holy temple.

Psa 63:3-7 Because thy loving-kindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee. (4) Thus will I bless thee while I live: I will lift up my hands in thy name. (5) My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips: (6) When I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the night watches. (7) Because thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice.

2Ki 17:38-39 And the covenant that I have made with you ye shall not forget; neither shall ye fear other gods. (39) But the LORD your God ye shall fear; and he shall deliver you out of the hand of all your enemies.

Psa 44:17-18 All this is come upon us; yet have we not forgotten thee, neither have we dealt falsely in thy covenant. (18) Our heart is not turned back, neither have our steps declined from thy way;

Of course, I should point out that in order to remember God’s word, we must read it in the first place. It is a good idea to spend some time early in the day to read some of God’s word. You can read a devotional or a few verses and then throughout the day, God will bring that word to your remembrance when you need it most. Or He might save that particular word for a specific time in the future. God is merciful and trigger something in our heart to remember Him and his voice. This is just another way that He provides all that we need at just the right time.

Pinch Me (Jul 17)

For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: (25) But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you. 1Pe 1:24-25

Sometimes when a person is having an exceptional time or something unbelievable happens, that person will request to be pinched in order to ensure that they are not dreaming. “How could this possibly be real? I must be dreaming!” the person might say.

A few weeks ago, I had a dream that was very realistic. What happened in the dream was very wonderful and left me both shocked and happy. It was much unexpected, yet a pleasant surprise. As the dream came to a close, I remember just walking around and smiling and just thinking about how good life was at the moment. Well, it was at that moment that I began to wake up. For a little bit, as I was in that semi-lucid state, I came to realize that I was not at the location that I just dreamed, but I somehow was still believing that the situation had truly happened. As I woke up further, my mind submitted to the now very-real fact that it was all a dream. I lay there equally as shocked as I had been earlier. It had all been a dream and none of it was real. I’m sure this has happened to all of us at some point, at least to some extent.

I was impressed with how much of a disappointment it can be when something that we believe to be true is found to be false…or something that we believe to be real is found to be a dream. It also got me to thinking about one thing that is not a dream. And that is the promise of God’s faithfulness. God’s promises are real. His words are real. His plan is real. We’re not going to wake up someday and all of a sudden, his promises are gone. We’re not going to wake up someday and find that God’s word is untrue or his plan has unraveled. No, we’re going to wake up tomorrow to find that God is still faithful. We’re going to find that tomorrow, and the next day, and the next day, and the next day…

Lam 3:21-26 This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. (22) It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. (23) They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. (24) The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him. (25) The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him. (26) It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD.

Heb 6:11-12 And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end: (12) That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

2Co 6:16-7:1 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. (17) Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, (18) And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. (7:1) Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

Heb 13:8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever.

Psa 119:159-160 Consider how I love thy precepts: quicken me, O LORD, according to thy lovingkindness. (160) Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever.