Remembering

My memory, or my lack of memory, has been a concern of mine for a while. Sometimes I feel like a computer whose memory is full and cannot store any more information. Other times I feel like a pan that has been sprayed with “Pam”—you can put things in it, but nothing sticks. Robin sometimes jokes that I only remember the things that I want and forget the things that I don’t want to remember. But I don’t intentionally forget things because it can be frustrating, not to mention embarrassing at times. Besides, I really do desire to have a better recollection of things.

The Apostle Paul said, “But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13b-14).

I am sure that Paul is not saying that he erased everything from his hard drive or that he had a lobotomy. I think that Paul is saying that his focus is on where he was going and Who it is that is going to get him there.

What I hear Paul saying to me is don’t cling to the past, don’t wallow or be paralyzed by my present situation, but I should persevere in beholding Him.

Although we remember Thomas as one who doubted, it is comforting to be reminded that Thomas recognized and remembered Jesus as he cried out, “My Lord and My God” when he saw Him (John 20:28). Even if God seems to have fallen off the face of the earth, it is never a good thing to forget the One who says He’s coming back (Matthew 24, Luke 21).