Memory, Memorials, and Remembering

Who are you without your memory? Or without the memory others have of you?

Memory is a mysterious ability. It provides context. History. Connections with family and friends. Yet, memory is one of those abilities we rarely think about . . . until it fails us.

Sometimes forgetfulness is unintentional. Where did I put my keys? What time was that appointment again? Other times forgetfulness is intentional as we avoid revisiting painful experiences or relationships.

Lately, I’ve become aware of how the loss of memory can strip us of our identity. My first experience with dementia occurred when my mother-in-law was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s 30 years ago. Since then, the occurrences have multiplied. Most recently, a peer—a friend I’ve known since 7^th grade—has been moved to the memory care unit of her skilled nursing facility.

We develop ways to help us remember, both privately and corporately. I may leave my car keys in the same place or keep to-do lists of what I need to accomplish. And I’ve become the queen of using Post-it notes! For some, even those small reminders are no longer possible.

Corporately, we attend memorial services for loved ones who have died. And we commemorate holidays, such as Memorial Day, to reconnect with our joint history.

Does God forget?

Have you ever heard, or perhaps said, “God forgets our sin because of Jesus”?

That’s not true! God is not a doddering old man with an impaired memory. Then what about Hebrews 8:12? “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more” (NIV).

When the Bible speaks of God not remembering, it’s not the same as forgetting. “Not remembering” means He no longer counts our sin against us. Romans 4:8 (NIV) tells us, “Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord will never count against them.” What a relief for those who have placed their faith in Christ, to know God does not keep a record of sins.

Whenever God remembers something in the Bible, the word remember signals that God is about to take action. So when He says He will not remember our sins, He is saying He will not take action against us because of them. That action—judgment—already happened at the Cross when His wrath was poured onto Jesus, a wrath that should have been directed at, and paid for, by you and me.

If God truly forgot our sins, then He’d have to forget the sacrifice that paid for them – a sacrifice that should never, can never, and will never be forgotten!

Our omniscient God doesn’t forget anything. However, thanks to Jesus Christ’s sacrifice, He intentionally chooses not to remember our sin—not to hold it against us. And if He does not remember, neither should we. So stop beating yourself up about past sin, turn from it, and walk in God’s forgiveness!

As we head into Memorial Day weekend, let’s be intentional about remembering the sacrifice of those who gave their lives for their country. And let’s be intentional about remembering the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, who gave His life for us.

What tips do you use to help prevent forgetfulness?