What? It is obvious if we forget, we are not remembering. I’m not trying to play with words. But can we know something and refuse to bring it to mind? Choose not to remember? Allow circumstances to take the “remembering” from us?

I have condemned the Israelites. ( Time for confession.) They experienced great and mighty wonders. God brought them out of Egypt, they crossed the Red Sea on dry land, the Egyptians were destroyed in that sea. He led them with a pillar of fire by night and a cloud by day, fed them with manna, sent quail when they complained, brought water out of a rock and on and on. How do you forget that stuff? But they did.

And David…a favorite of so many. He was taken from herding sheep, changed into a giant killer, became a skilled musician, was a mighty man of war, became the king’s son-in-law, was given wealth and favor. In one moment, with one look, he forgets.

And Peter. He was taken from the fishing industry. He became part of Jesus’ innermost circle, saw mighty miracles, people healed, thousands fed with almost nothing, he walked on water when Jesus said to come… He is on the Mount of Transfiguration with Jesus…what he must have witnessed…When the tough time came, he forgot…or denied he knew.

And then there’s me. Insignificant me. When it gets tough, I forget too. Forget He has healed me. Forget He has provided. Forget He has saved me. Forget He is always with me. Forget He has answered in SPECIFIC ways prayers I’ve offered to Him. Always forgetting.

My question is, “ Have I in fact, forgotten? Or have I chosen not to remember? Maybe I remember and deny I know. I”m not sure which is worse. Forgetting. Treating as rubbish the goodness and mercy of God, or CHOOSING not to remember. Knowing the power of God, and choosing to wipe Him and His mighty acts from the conscious mind. The weight of it scares me silly.

I am encouraged though, that the Father seems to know we “forget to remember”.
Exodus 12:14 The Israelites are instructed to keep the Passover as a memorial.
Exodus 17:14-15 The Lord instructs Moses to write in a book as a memorial so Joshua won’t forget God’s promise to wipe out Amalek. Moses builds an altar…so they can remember.
Joshua 4:7 Joshua sets up stones to remember the waters being cut off for the ark to cross over.
1 Samuel 7:12 Samuel sets up a stone and named it, “Ebenezar”. A stone of remembrance.
John 16: 1-4 Jesus and the disciples have finished the Passover meal. Jesus has washed their feet. He has told them many things. Now in verse 4, Jesus says, “But these things I have spoken to you, that when their hour comes, you may remember that I told you of them…” Jesus knew then and He knows now, we forget. Is that why He is always instructing us to remember. Celebrate His work in our lives?

How do we forget the most important person in our life? Jesus Christ.

I”m not sure, and maybe it doesn’t make any difference how we “lost “ our ability to remember… How our flesh needs to be reminded to give thanks, to celebrate the large and small things. Perhaps, the important thing is recognizing that “forgetting” is a problem for us. Perhaps, the important thing is asking Him to heal the “forgetting place” inside us.

He remembers that we are dust. He is compassionate and full of mercy. He will heal us. He knows how to deal with all our weaknesses.

I don’t want to take Him for granted. I want to celebrate all He has done and what He continues to do. I want to celebrate Him and Who He is. I don’t want to forget. Ever.