I am considering making an appointment to see my doctor about my memory. Actually, I may need to call the Center For Disease Control (CDC) because I am scared that there is an epidemic of memory loss. It must be something that is happening all over. Why just the other night I saw a commercial for a liquid that you could purchase to help with your memory. In fact I would have called the number to order some of the product, but I couldn't remember the phone number.
Over the years of marriage, my memory has faded. My wife often tells me that I don't remember things correctly, and then she proceeds to instruct me as to how things really happened. I find this very odd because when I tell her about something or ask her to do something for me, she often forgets. Now that I think about this, I have to wonder if there some kind of virus that attacks only certain memories. You see my wife can remember the most minute detail about something that happened twenty years ago, but she forgets when I ask her to do something five minutes ago.
My kids are even worse. This memory loss problem seems to target them as well. Often they can't remember to clean their rooms or do their household responsibilities. Of course if I promise to take them out to eat or to the movies they never seem to forget that. Sometimes they have memory loss in the middle of a task. My youngest son can't seem to remember to empty all of the trash cans in the house on trash days. Daniel, my oldest son, can't seem to remember not to put his mom's wooden spoons in the dishwasher. Rebekah may be the least affected, but she does seem to have a sever memory loss as to setting her alarm clock to wake herself up by 10:00 a.m. in the morning.
As a teacher, I have seen the effects of this memory loss when it comes to students turning in their homework, getting their parents signature on certain things, and even remembering quizzes and tests. I am baffled though as to how well students remember parties, field trips, and days off from school. Thank God that this memory problem has not caused any of them to forget to eat.
Seriously, we have become a generation prone to memory loss. How often do we make promises and commitments and forget to keep them? We commit to being a better husband, father, son, daughter, wife, mother, student, friend, and Christ-follower and then slip into our memory loss state where we continue to do the same things as before. Working with teens I see them make decision after decision at camps, youth rallies, and even weekly services to get closer to God. Within days and weeks those decisions fall be the way.
It is not just the teens either. Having worked with many couples, you can seen the memory loss as husbands and wives go through continuous cycles fighting, getting help, forgetting and then fighting again. No wonder the students in these homes have major memory problems trying to keep their commitments to God.
In my life I have learned that I must rely heavily on the grace and mercy of God to make it through each day. David wrote in Psalm 103:17-18, "But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him, and His righteousness to children’s children, to such as keep His covenant, and to those who remember His commandments to do them." I think so many of us have had amnesia when it comes to God and his commandments. David remembered the secret to obtaining daily mercy was to fear (reverently respect) God by keeping His covenant and remembering to do His commandments. Wouldn't it be a horrible thing to have to tell God, "I forgot. . .?"
Over the years of marriage, my memory has faded. My wife often tells me that I don't remember things correctly, and then she proceeds to instruct me as to how things really happened. I find this very odd because when I tell her about something or ask her to do something for me, she often forgets. Now that I think about this, I have to wonder if there some kind of virus that attacks only certain memories. You see my wife can remember the most minute detail about something that happened twenty years ago, but she forgets when I ask her to do something five minutes ago.
As a teacher, I have seen the effects of this memory loss when it comes to students turning in their homework, getting their parents signature on certain things, and even remembering quizzes and tests. I am baffled though as to how well students remember parties, field trips, and days off from school. Thank God that this memory problem has not caused any of them to forget to eat.
Seriously, we have become a generation prone to memory loss. How often do we make promises and commitments and forget to keep them? We commit to being a better husband, father, son, daughter, wife, mother, student, friend, and Christ-follower and then slip into our memory loss state where we continue to do the same things as before. Working with teens I see them make decision after decision at camps, youth rallies, and even weekly services to get closer to God. Within days and weeks those decisions fall be the way.
It is not just the teens either. Having worked with many couples, you can seen the memory loss as husbands and wives go through continuous cycles fighting, getting help, forgetting and then fighting again. No wonder the students in these homes have major memory problems trying to keep their commitments to God.
In my life I have learned that I must rely heavily on the grace and mercy of God to make it through each day. David wrote in Psalm 103:17-18, "But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him, and His righteousness to children’s children, to such as keep His covenant, and to those who remember His commandments to do them." I think so many of us have had amnesia when it comes to God and his commandments. David remembered the secret to obtaining daily mercy was to fear (reverently respect) God by keeping His covenant and remembering to do His commandments. Wouldn't it be a horrible thing to have to tell God, "I forgot. . .?"
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