Getting Rid of El-zheimer

UV 2235/10000 Getting Rid of El-zheimer
Remember these, O Jacob and Israel; for thou art my servant: I have formed thee; thou art my servant: O Israel, thou shalt not be forgotten of me.
Isaiah 44 v 21

Our memory plays a great role in our relationship with each other and with our Father in heaven. Without a good memory, no worker would be able to carry out his daily tasks or fulfil the instructions of his boss. Most of us behave in life as if we have a kind of spiritual Alzheimer’s or ‘El-zheimer” (forgetting God) and forget the presence, the power and the love of God in our daily lives. We need to consciously and unconsciously commit to memory the instructions of the Lord for He is not only Creator, Redeemer, Helper, Friend but He is also our Master. We are His servants. We have been formed not for our own enjoyment and pleasure but for the pleasure of the Master. We need to find our delight in Him and in carrying out His instructions. This is the spiritual food that will sustain us, bless us, nourish us, strengthen us, heal us, deliver us, preserve us, enhance us, protect us.

We need to remember that we are in covenant relationship with the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. We need to remember that we belong to Him. We need to remember that He has chosen us and called us personally by our names, that He has given us new name, His name, His identity. We need to remember that though we are His servants, He has called us His friends. We need to remember all the things He has spoken to us. We need to remember all the things He has done for us. We need to remember all His counsel. We need to remember His glory, grace and power revealed in us, to us and through us. A diligent servant keeps recounting his master’s instructions. Likewise, we should keep recounting His instructions, His acts of mercy and grace, His practical manifestations of His love. When we do so on a daily, frequent, regular and lifelong basis, we are filled with faith, joy, peace, strength, courage. We crowd out bad, negative or bitter memories from our lives by recounting to ourselves all the innumerable blessings of the Lord. Every memory will inspire an act of gratitude or praise and adoration. Memories are causes for celebration. When we recount our memories to our children, we are building historical wisdom, inspiration and a spiritual legacy that is passed on to the generations. The nation of Israel gives a lot of importance to marking their national memories in a variety of ways, either in terms of national festivals like the festival of Purim to celebrate the defeat of the plot of Haman to have all Jews killed in the time of Esther the Queen or in terms of practices like praying at the Wailing Wall.

The Lord on His part promises never to forget us. He has written our names on the palm of His hands. His eyes are always upon us. He remembers us as we were when we were being formed in the womb, as we were when we had not yet met with Him and were running away from Him like Jacob. He remembers our encounters and our struggles as Jacob. He remembers our struggles as Israel, after we entered into the covenant and personal relationship with Him. But the amazing thing is that He does not recall our transgressions. He truly practices a selective memory as part of His dispensation of grace to all mankind.

Prateep V Philip