Lord, I have heard of your fame; I stand in awe of your deeds, Lord. Repeat them in our day, in our time make them known; in wrath remember mercy. (Habakkuk 3:2)

The Reader’s Digest had an article on Memory recently which said that our memories are not as accurate as we think they are. This is an excerpt:

A revealing study by research psychologists Daniel Simons and Christopher Chabris asked people simple questions about memory and then compared their answers with those of experts in memory research. The results show how far removed from reality the public’s beliefs about memory are. For instance, to the question “Is there a ‘video camera’ in your head?” 63 percent of people surveyed strongly agreed or mostly agreed that human memory “works like a video camera, accurately recording the events we see and hear so that we can review and inspect them later.” None of the experts—ZERO percent—strongly agreed or mostly agreed that memory works like a video camera. (From the January 2021 issue “Here’s How Your Memory Really Works”)

We can rewrite our memories in all kinds of ways. This makes sense. I have long been concerned about my memory because of my experiences with my own parents. My family has often commented on my dad’s ability to rewrite history. We all seem to have a different recollection of how certain things went down, and I have often wondered who is right. And my mother, bless her heart, suffered from dementia for many years before her passing. She just did not remember.

The ability to remember seems to be especially important to most of us, even though some of our memories are painful. The same Reader’s Digest article says this: “How important is your ability to remember the past and to draw on it to inform your next move? I’ll answer for you: It’s right up there with breathing and eating.”

An article from Harvard Medical School confirms this and goes on to say: “What causes some people to lose their memory while others stay sharp as a tack? Genes play a role, but so do choices. Proven ways to protect memory include following a healthy diet, exercising regularly, not smoking, and keeping blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar in check. Living a mentally active life is important, too. Just as muscles grow stronger with use, mental exercise helps keep mental skills and memory in tone.”

As is my usual practice, I went to the Bible to see what the Scriptures say about our memory, specifically the act of remembering.

Sometimes when the Bible says that God remembers, it does not mean that he ever forgot. It just means that it is now the right time to bring the matter to the forefront. Timing can be everything, such as

• But God remembered Noah and all the wild animals and the livestock that were with him in the ark, and he sent a wind over the earth, and the waters receded. (Genesis 8:1)
• Moreover, I have heard the groaning of the Israelites, whom the Egyptians are enslaving, and I have remembered my covenant. (Exodus 6:5)

Remembering what God has done for his people in the past can give us hope for the future. Thankfully, we have the Bible to prompt our memory.

• I remember my affliction and my wandering, the bitterness and the gall. I well remember them, and my soul is downcast within me. Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. (Lamentations 3:19-23)
• Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always. Remember the wonders he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he pronounced, you his servants, the descendants of Israel, his chosen ones, the children of Jacob. (1 Chron 16:11-13)
• I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago. (Psalm 77:11)
• They remembered that God was their Rock, that God Most High was their Redeemer. (Psalm 78:35)

If it is something important, then we should write it down.

• Then the Lord said to Moses, “Write this on a scroll as something to be remembered and make sure that Joshua hears it, because I will completely blot out the name of Amalek from under heaven.” (Exodus 17:4)

Remembering is often a call to action:

• Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Establish habits and regular actions to help us remember properly. (Exodus 20:8)
• Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the wilderness these forty years, to humble and test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands. (Deuteronomy 8:2)
• Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your families, your sons and your daughters, your wives, and your homes. (Nehemiah 4:14)
• Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. (Hebrews 13:7)

Reflecting, remembering, recalling God’s Word to us is vital in strengthening our faith and encouraging our obedience.

Remember the former things, those of long ago; I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me. (Isaiah 46:9)

In Christ,

Judy