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"When everything seems to be going against you, remember that the airplane takes off against the wind, not with it." - Henry Ford
Our Church's Anniversary was Sunday. So I showed our congregation a series of slide shows of many things God has done through us over the years. In the midst of trials, we can forget how good God has been despite our faults and failings. Tears began to well up in our eyes after seeing hundreds of photos of all kinds of ministry to the young and old, the rich and poor, and people of every ethnicity. We fed the hungry, clothed the naked and equipped ministers of all kinds. We saw salvations, baptisms and re-commitments. We watched our children grow before our eyes and celebrated giving gifts and service to the community. We are SO blessed! After recalling these things, our worship was palpable. We gave God all the glory, honor and praise! and looked forward to our next chapter with anticipation. An atmosphere of gratefulness, joy, peace and even relief entered. "By remembering all these good things, we can see that our lives have counted for something." Our awesome photographer, Anthony Tribble, powerfully tells our story through his lens. The Levites in Scripture were called to record what God had done, to thank and to praise Him.(1 Chron. 16:4) REMEMBERING God's goodness is like a fuel that keeps us full of joy and strong.
One of our greatest problems is that we forget the things we should remember, and remember the things we should forget. This causes many to be stunted in emotional and spiritual immaturity. I love the visual above because it reminds me that I can fill my mind with any type of memories I choose. To REMEMBER means to be able to bring to one's mind an awareness of something one has seen, known, or experienced in the past. Which things do you want to remember? What would you prefer to forget? David asked God not to remember the sins of his youth, but to
remember him according to His love. (Psalm 25:7) We also have the capability to remember love and forget trespasses and sins for the best possible relational outcomes. Throughout Scripture, people prayed for the LORD to forgive and forget their transgressions. In Hebrews 10 God promised, "their sins and iniquities I will remember no more." (vs.17) Amazing how God doesn't remember our sins or the sins of others...but we can't forget them.
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Sometimes the LORD wants us to forget former things. He doesn't want us to dwell on the past because He wants to do something new. (Isaiah 43:18; Phil 3:13-14) At other times, He wants us to put a marker on a good thing. "Remember the former things long past, For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is no one like Me." (Isaiah 46:9) Here's a great challenge. This week, rid your mind of your own sins, and the failings of others, and fill your mind with good remembrances.
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