Forgetfulness

Forgetfulness

“He remembers that we are dust.” Ps. 103:14. We often forget that our fellow men are dust, and therefore we expect too much from them. Consequently, we are disappointed in them or are unreasonably angry with them. We could easily have avoided this mistake if we had remembered that we are dust.

“Remember that Jesus Christ . . . .” 2 Tim. 2:8. It is lamentable that we can even forget Him and the way on which He sojourned! We will always experience comfort and hope by remembering Him.

“And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons: ‘My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; for whom the Lord loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives.’” Heb. 12:5-6. Who remembers this when he is being scourged, when he receives forty strokes less one across his back? Generally speaking, the memory may be good enough, but it is of much less importance when it concerns things of less worth. However, keeping the Word in one’s heart so that one remembers it when it is needed—that is quite a different matter!

“But do not forget to do good and to share . . . .” Heb. 13:16. Think that you can actually forget that! Forget that you have something with which to do good! And forget that there are some people who need something good! It can slip your mind completely so that you do not remember at all that there are more people in the world! You see a great many of them in meeting halls and in the streets, but it seems that you cannot remember that they exist!!! To be sure, a bad memory is a bad thing.

The person who does not increase in all the virtues “has forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.” 2 Pet. 1:9. Think that we can also forget that! It is quite something how forgetful we can be!!! Forgetting that we were worthy of death and perdition!— even forgetting that we were estranged from God. We cannot remember that we have been anything but converted to God at all times. May God give us all a better remembrance of all things that are worth remembering. We can cheerfully forget the evil that other people have done to us. The martyr Ignatius said about some unfaithful souls: “I wish I could not remember their names!”

Jesus said several times to the Jews: “Have you never read . . . is it not written in your law?” Of course they had read it, even many times over, and in all probability they could even remember it word for word! Nevertheless, they had not kept it in their hearts so they could remember it in a given moment and in a given situation.