“ Gratitude is the memory of the heart.”
-French Proverb
The ability to remember is powerful.
- Today, during the holiday season many of us wait in long lines in order to take a photograph of Santa with our kids.
- Many of us keep the cards that we’ve received over the holidays as mementos of our friendships over the years.
- A number of us take videos or write in personal journals in order to have keepsakes of a particular moment in time.
- Or, sometimes we get together with family members and reminisce on some of the best times of our lives.
But, can you imagine if you lost the ability to remember anything? Can you imagine what life would be like if you had no recollection of your life from only a few years ago?
Can you imagine what life would be like if you could not remember your life from a few months ago?
Can you imagine what your life would be like if you could no longer remember
what your life was like only a few days ago
…
a few hours ago
…
a few minutes ago
…
a few seconds ago?
I read an amazing article last night about a man who is suffering from an extremely
rare disease that only allows him to remember things for only 7 seconds.
Can you imagine living your life each day but not being able to remember any of it?
This man with the unfortunate disease on his brain lives his life in this way:
- He can’t remember how to get to his bedroom. The doors of each room are painted a different color to perhaps serve as guides for him.
- He can’t read, watch TV or movies because he can’t remember what happened before.
- He can’t leave his home by himself because he can’t remember how to get back.
- He can’t remember the name of a person who was just introduced to him or the content of their conversation literally 30 seconds ago.
- No recollection…no memory…nothing to hold on to.
Can you imagine…?
This man wasn’t always like this. He was an accomplished musician and conductor. However, 18 months into his marriage, he fell ill to this rare disease and it erased from his mind: his childhood; his youth; most of life…gone forever. The only person he remembers with some regularity is his wife. However, he doesn’t really remember her, only what she is like.
I share this, because I realized while reading this article how easy it can be for me, or any one of us, to take what we remember for granted. We don’t need to be suffering from a rare disease of the brain to forget the things that we need to remember the most. We can easily forget because of sin or the hardening of our hearts.
When we forget:
- We could take our families for granted;
- We could take our relationships with friends for granted;
- And, if we’re not careful, we could even take Jesus’ death and resurrection for granted.
Jesus during his last supper called every disciple NOT to take his life…or his memory lightly.
In fact, he wants us to remember him all the time…not for his glory…but for the glory of God.
Luke 22:14-22 (New International Version)
14 When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table.
15 And
he said to them, "I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you
before I suffer.
16 For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds
fulfillment in the kingdom of God."
17 After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said, "Take this and divide
it among you.
18 For I tell you I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine
until the kingdom of God comes."
19 And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This
is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me."
20 In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup
is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.
21 But the hand
of him who is going to betray me is with mine on the table.
22 The Son of Man
will go as it has been decreed, but woe to that man who betrays him."
As the day of his crucifixion neared, he gathered his closest disciples and during their final moments together, he exhorted them to remember what he has done during his lifetime and what he is about to do.
Each week, our communion is a remembrance of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection.
When we forget how Jesus lived everyday; we forget how WE should live everyday.
When we forget how Jesus died; we forget how we are to die to our sinful nature.
When we forget Jesus’ sacrifice and strength; we become selfish and weak.
When we forget that Jesus left heaven to be with us; we forget what it takes to go to heaven… and meet him face to face.
As we go through our weeks, we need to remember who Jesus is and how much his sacrifice changed our lives! I want to encourage everyone to make a decision to live a life LIKE Jesus FOR Jesus so that we may commemorate and honor his memory.
