Remembering to Remember

09.18.12

Phillips translation somewhere between 1 John 2.26 and 28: Yes, now, little children remember to live continually in him. JBP

What is memory? When I first came to the Lord (in seriousness) I learned and memorized sixty verses of Scripture. I am attempting to learn Spanish (or at least the Mexican version) and am finding I need to memorize much of it because it is so foreign. I remember my past and some of the experiences I’ve had. Many are dulled because there are so many. But the biggest memory of today is simply what John wrote to the believers back then: Yes, now, little children remember to live continually in him.

Someone quoted John Wooden on Facebook the other day: Make everyday a masterpiece! Great quote – I just forget that that’s what he said. In the everyday-ness of every day I forget what I am supposed to be doing every day. (Sigh) So much stuff, so little memory.

God gave our first human parents one initial command: Don’t eat from that tree! They forgot. They couldn’t remember. God said, in the day you eat of it you will die. They forgot. They ate. They died. And man has been forgetting ever since. So God gave their children ten more commandments. Those children forgot them as well. The God said, I will live in them – I will make their hearts my home. God living in them! Right in their hearts!! They forgot. We forget. How stinkin’ much closer could He get!? We forget.

So then God says, I will discipline My children – I will work in them to improve their memory. And so we go thru all sorts of trials and testing to improve our memory: to remember to make every day a masterpiece; to remember to live continually in Him. To remember that beauty and ugliness are two sides of the same coin, and we need wisdom to remember that. And God said, I will give them My Spirit so they will know. And we can’t seem to make the connection in the short distance between the organ above and the one below. We can’t remember. I sure can’t!

Today is another test day of trying to remember what I supposed to remember – that I’m to live continually in Him. I’m to live as if I am in His physical presence. I’m to live looking for Him in all that I do today. I’m to live and guard my eyes and my thoughts, and the words that I say. I’m to remember to live continually (as I greet customers, help solve plumbing issues, mix paint, find various sizes of nuts and bolts and other assorted hardware) as if Jesus is standing right by my side. I’m to remember to remember.

Tonight will be the exam of the day: the examen. I’m to remember that too. I’m to remember to quiet my head and heart tonight and go over today with my Father and God. I’m to remember to quickly confess and quietly seek that power and presence to get up and do it all again tomorrow (if I get one) so that I can remember to remember to live continually in Him.

Every day we have is a gift from Him. Every day is a gift back to Him. Every day is an opportunity to remember why I have days in the first place and what I’m to do with them. May today be a day of remembrance – in Him.