What was I supposed to remember again?

 “I've a grand memory for forgetting.”

-- Robert Louis Stevenson

For those of you avid followers of this blog, you may have noticed that a blog was not posted last week. Yes. It was my turn to write the blog and I totally forgot. While this wasn’t intentional and could probably be chalked up to “pregnancy brain”, it led me to the topic of today’s blog on FORGETFULNESS! Please tell me that I am not the only one to deal with this. Luckily I can say for certain that I am not. 

Just yesterday, I asked my husband to run to the store to grab 2 things. Just 2. By no means a lengthy list. And yet, when he returned home with several bags of groceries, I was met with the realization that he had only gotten 1 of the 2 things. I’m sure we could fill this comment board with similar situations. 

You must be able to relate. How many times have you gone into a room and totally forgotten why you went in there? Some of us even try to help ourselves out by making a list, but by the time we pick up the pen to write it down, the thought has completely escaped us. Or what’s worse, we actually write the note down on the paper and then can’t remember what our cryptic message even meant! People try to put strings around their fingers but forget what the strings are for.  They create pneumonic devices to help them remember lists. They write songs to help them memorize Scripture or other short passages. They play popular “memory-strengthening” games. And yet, we find ourselves remembering things from 20 years ago in specific detail, yet cannot find the keys that we just put down 5 minutes ago. How is this possible?!

According to Paul Reber, professor of psychology at Northwestern University, “The human brain consists of about one billion neurons. Each neuron forms about 1,000 connections to other neurons, amounting to more than a trillion connections. In comparison, if your brain worked like a digital video recorder in a television, 2.5 petabytes would be enough to hold three million hours of TV shows. You would have to leave the TV running continuously for more than 300 years to use up all that storage.”

Maybe it makes me feel a little better knowing that there is sometimes a lot of “footage” I have to sift through to find what I am looking for in my brain. Nonetheless, we know that forgetfulness is a part of life. Sometimes the consequences are minor, but sometimes you forget a deadline or a bill that was due, and the result sends some rather unpleasant shockwaves. Of even greater concern is when we get so involved in the hustle and bustle of life that we begin to forget that God is in control. What many forget most often is God’s presence and help in times of trouble or great need.

The Bible is full of stories that tell us how God remembers His people.  One such story that our school has connected with this year is the story of Samuel and the Israelites in 1 Samuel 7. After a miraculous victory in battle, “Samuel took a stone, placed it between Mizpah and Shen and named it Ebenezer. He said, "The LORD has helped us this far." I Samuel 7:12. When we start forgetting what the Lord has done for us, maybe an Ebenezer rock is more of what we need than a string around the finger.  

I can only imagine that my memory will get worse with age (or with the insanity that will surely come with having 4 children). But here is my ultimate comfort.  God always remembers the things that need to be remembered and always forgets the things that don’t!

Hebrews 8:12 gives us the following promise, “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more." Praise the Lord! Knowing how prone we are to forget, God gave us His Word as a reminder of His great love and provision for us. Ultimately, His story of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross is the ultimate reminder of this.

I may forget deadlines and dates, but may my words reflect those found in Psalm 77:11, “I will remember the deeds of the LORD; yes, I will remember your wonders of old.” 

Remind someone today what a faithful God we serve!