Memory

 

Memory

All of us who are mature should let go of our yesterdays

Let go of both failures and successes, good and bad

Yesterday is over

It is today, time to let go of the past and reach for the future

Let the memories of yesterday teach you

Let the hope of tomorrow guide you

And today stretch, with one hand letting go

And the other hand reaching for the prize God has for you  

There is a lot of talk about emotional maturity

Your emotional maturity will grow

As you let God make clear to you the reason Christ Jesus took hold of you

Don’t forget John 10:10

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

Take hold of the full and abundant life Jesus came to give you

Let go, forget the things that keep you from the prize

 

 

Memory

 

Some people can remember everything

and describe every detail.

 

I have always been jealous of those people.

 

In school, I could not remember what was taught

or what I studied for when test time came.

 

I know I spent more time trying

to memorize the answers than others.

 

It did not seem fair that I worked harder

and got the lower grades.

 

I love people, but to remember a name

has always been very hard for me.

 

At 70 years of age,

I finally found a blessing in not having a good memory.

 

I don’t get stuck in the past.

 

I look forward to the future.

 

The apostle Paul said…

 

Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it.

 But one thing I do:

Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead,

I press on toward the goal to win the prize

for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

All of us who are mature should take such a view of things.

Philippians 3:13-15

 

They say…

 

 “Don’t cry over spilled milk.”

 

Maturity comes to those who are

resilient and press on to triumph.

 

Paul says you have to let go of the past

to reach the future.

 

Or, arms are not long enough to hang on

to the past and live in the future.

 

I do get upset at mistakes I made

and I do get upset at the mistakes of others.

 

I get buyer’s remorse.

 

I do know pain, loss, suffering, guilt, disappointment,

my past is full of them.

 

But for me,

they do not keep me from the future.

 

For all of you who did well in school

because you can remember everything…

 

I now have something to be grateful for

in having a poor memory.

 

I find it easier to forgive…

 

 Easier to move through the dark clouds

because I see a future more then I do the past.

 

Like everything there is a positive and a negative.

  

The positive of a good memory is…

 

 You will do good in school

but you may have a hard time seeing

a promising future when…

 

 Disappointments, loss, and grief live in your memory.

 

For those who have a bad memory…

 

 You may have done poorly in school

but you find it easier to forgive

and let go of past hurt and pain

for a brighter future.

 

I am still envious of all you people

who have great memory abilities.

 

 I am glad it is easier for me

to not let my past define me.

 

All of us will do well if…

 

 We have the same outlook as the Apostle Paul.

 

There is more to come

that you and I have not reached.

 

So, forget the things in your past

that keep you living in the past.

 

Press on…

 

 Strain as you reach out for the prize.

 

All of us who are mature

should let go of our yesterdays.

 

Let go of both failures and successes,

good and bad.

 

Yesterday is over.

 

It is today…

 

 Time to let go of the past and reach for the future.

 

Let the memories of yesterday teach you.

 

Let the hope of tomorrow guide you.

 

And today stretch…

 

 With one hand letting go

and the other hand reaching for

the prize God has for you.

  

There is a lot of talk about emotional maturity.

 

Your emotional maturity will grow as you let God

make clear to you the reason Christ Jesus took hold of you.

 

Don’t forget John 10:10…

 

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy;

I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

 

Take hold of the full and abundant life

Jesus came to give you.

 

Let go…

 

 Forget the things that keep you from the prize.

 

For those who have good memories

and can let go of the past…

 

For those who are pressing on

for the prize Christ has for you…

I am doubly jealous

 

 

Scripture Reading

 

 Philippians 3:12-16 NIV

 

12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13 Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

 

15 All of us who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. 16 Only let us live up to what we have already attained.

Memory Loss

Memory Loss

Forgetting what is behind and reaching for the prize

Know what you are reaching for

Paul says

 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

We should ask ourselves these questions, “Am I reaching for God?”

“Am I looking for Christ to fulfill me?”

Our grief is greater, when we are not secure in our relationship with God

Our loss should draw us closer to Him

Look at what Paul tells the Corinthians about our hardships

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles             2 Corinthians 1:3-5

God is our comfort, because He is compassionate

When there is a void in our lives, we need to be very careful how we fill it

If we reach for God and His prize He has for us, we will do well

But if we reach for something or someone else to bring us lasting comfort

It will only be for a season

Reach for a comfort and security that is eternal

 

 

 

Memory Loss

 

Losing your memory is a scary thing.

 

I think the greatest thing God gave us is the brain.

 

I love to think.

 

 It is rewarding to find answers to life.

 

I love memory flashbacks…

 

 When you can be doing something

and the mind gives you an image of some place

you have enjoyed in the past.

 

I can be in Toledo and in an instance,

 I can picture a beach in Florida.

 

Remembering where you put

your keys is a wonderful thing.

 

 Just forget where you put them once

and you will live in fear of doing it again.

 

Throughout the Scriptures we read
 we are to remember certain things like…

 

Jesus said,

 “Remember the words I spoke to you”

John 15:20

 

We are to remember the mistakes of others…

 

 “Remember Lot’s Wife”

Luke 17:32

 

Remember the warnings Paul said…

 

So be on your guard!

 Remember that for three years

 I never stopped warning each of you

night and day with tears.

Acts 20:31

 

Remember your victories

from your spiritual youth…

 

Remember those earlier days after you had received the light,

when you stood your ground in a great contest in the face of suffering.

Hebrews 10:32

 

Remember those in suffering…

 

Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners,

and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.

Hebrews 13:3

 

God gave us the amazing ability to remember.

 

God has also given us the ability to forget.

 

 

I have a good pastor friend who once was

introducing his family to a church

he was speaking in and in that moment

could not remember his wife’s name.

 

Yes, not all memory loss is good.

 

Just as the scriptures tell us to remember…

 

 It also tells us to forget.

 

Paul tells us forgetting is the path to maturity.

 Philippians 3:13-15

 

This is not the same thing

as getting older is the path to

forgetfulness or Alzheimer’s.

 

You cannot forget something you think about.

 

If you are to forget something

you must make an exchange…

 

Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it.

But one thing I do:

Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead,

I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God

has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 3:13-14

 

Choosing to forget takes

vision of something greater.

 

A lady in the church had lost her husband

it was very hard on her.

 

 

A few months later she came to me

with her new boyfriend.

 

She was still not over her grief

but the loss was so great

she was looking for someone to fill that void.

 

When they asked me to marry them,

I refused.

 

It was easy for me standing outside

her loss and emptiness…

 

To see she was not over her loss

and it was too soon to enter into marriage.

 

Sometimes letting go of one thing

to reach for another takes time…

 

 Because our judgment can be clouded.

  

Sadly, they went to the courthouse and got married.

 

A few months later she came to me in tears

and said, I wish I would have listened to you.

  

When we experience loss of something

or someone we love,

we are filled with grief.

 

 That grief tells us we had a great love

and now that love is just a memory.

 

A memory that brings hurt.

 

It is important that we let go properly.

 

Here are some points…

 

1.    Be grateful you had such a love that hurts so bad.

 

Giving thanks for those blessings in our lives

is always healthier than anger over your loss.

 

Working toward gratefulness keeps

the good memories alive

and the joy you had experienced.

 

2.    Know you cannot stay in your grief.

 

As strange as it may seem

we sometime want to be sad and give up

 

Grieving is good for a season

 but we need to remember it is a season,

not our destiny.

  

3.    Letting go takes reaching for something new.

 

We live in a time when we are told

“Get in touch with your feelings”.

 

Our feelings are a good servant

but a bad master.

 

Be sure your replacement is God

and His prize for you.

 

People and things will be part of

God’s prize, but seek Him first.

 

Forgetting what is behind and reaching for the prize.

 

Know what you are reaching for.

 

Paul says…

 

 I press on toward the goal to win the prize

for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

 

We should ask ourselves these questions…

 

 “Am I reaching for God?”

 

“Am I looking for Christ to fulfill me?”

 

Our grief is greater when we are not secure

in our relationship with God.

 

Our loss should draw us closer to Him.

 

Look at what Paul tells the Corinthians about our hardships…

 

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort,

who comforts us in all our troubles

 2 Corinthians 1:3-5

 

God is our comfort,

because He is compassionate.

 

When there is a void in our lives,

we need to be very careful how we fill it.

 

If we reach for God and His prize

He has for us, we will do well.

 

But if we reach for something or someone else

to bring us lasting comfort, it will only be for a season.

 

Reach for a comfort and security that is eternal.

 

Scripture Reading

 

Philippians 3:12-16 NIV

 

12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13 Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

 

15 All of us who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. 16 Only let us live up to what we have already attained.

 

 

2 Corinthians 1:3-7 NIV

 

3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. 5 For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. 6 If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. 7 And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort.