Memory

In him we live and move and have our being. Acts 17:28

But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah John 20:31

I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also. 2 Timothy 1:5

But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. Luke 2:19

In Trevor Hudson’s book Discovering Our Spiritual Identity, he describes memory and how it relates to our spiritual life. The chapter is titled “Developing a Christian Memory”, and lists three things we can do:

·      Remember Jesus in the Gospels: learning about who Jesus was from reading the books Matthew, Mark, Luke, John. “Gospel-writer John explains: 'But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah'" (John 20:31)

·      Remember our personal stories: recalling our upbringing in the church, other spiritual “memories”. Previously hidden significance becomes awareness as time passes. “In him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28) I would also add that as I lost my mother this summer, I became even more conscious of the fact that my faith comes from her influence in my life.

·      Remember the present day: understanding that what happens each day forms our spiritual memories tomorrow. “In the people we meet, the tasks we do, the difficulties we face—and in our responses to them—God is continually trying to catch our attention and give us fresh glimpses of his loving presence.”

The author of the book says: “developing a Christian memory is a matter of the faith-soaked heart. We begin from a stance of faith. The Holy One has always been with us, even when we were unaware of his presence. Knowing this, we then recall significant experiences and reflect on them, pondering upon how God has been present within them.”

I think when we are told to “live in the moment” and “don’t live in the past”, we sometimes think of nostalgia in a negative way. I recall my children growing up, my dreams for them (how we adjust those dreams as their lives progress), and how we adjust our expectations and dreams as we look back at our own younger selves.

When those dreams need adjustment, we may feel regret or sadness. It comes down to this: “God with us”. God will be with us through the good and the bad, the easy times and the difficult times, the realized dreams and the discarded dreams. “God’s will is not a crisis” was a devotion that has always stuck with me. When we are worried about making the right decision, we sometimes over-think and deliberate endlessly over the “right” answer. If God is with us, guiding us, we can know that he will be with us whatever choice we make. Even in the aftermath of what we may consider to be poor decisions, God is with us.

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank you for being with me through all the seasons of my life. Thank you for the faith of those who have gone before me, both in the Bible and in my personal life. Thank you for their influence. Amen.   

Donna Gustafson