Posted:
Based on “Our God Is Still Able” by Pastor Fidel Gomez; 7/11-12/09,
Message #GS71; Daily Devotional #1 - “When God Forgets”
Preparing the Soil (Introduction): Then he adds: “Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more.” (Hebrews 10:17) Henry Molaison lived for five decades with profound amnesia. At the age of 27 in an attempt to correct seizures, an experimental brain operation left him with the inability to form new memories and the loss of all but a few scant recollections of his early childhood. Every time the psychologist who worked with him for years walked into the room, she reported that it was like they had never met. Every experience seemed new to him, and tasks performed the day before were never remembered from one time to the next.
Planting and Watering the Seed (Growth): We all forget things from time to time. Memories stored in the file folders located between our ears sometimes seem to slide between the drawers. A face will look so familiar, but there seems to be no ability to pull up a name to go with it. School assignments get forgotten. We walk into a room and stand there trying to figure out what in the world we were just going to do. We may not be as handicapped as poor Henry Molaison, but let’s face it, our brains leak. The children of Israel needed constant reminders of God’s goodness and power. The experience of walking through the Red Sea on dry ground was quickly forgotten the first time they came up short on water. The walls of Jericho looked impossible to breach even after watching manna appear from nowhere every day that they walked in the wilderness. A heathen prostitute living in the city had to remind the Israelite spies of the power of their own God. The disciples were no better. They watched Jesus heal the sick and calm the storm, and then fretted over the lack of a Publix when faced with a large and hungry crowd. We are much the same. When we face impossible walls in the circumstances of our lives, we tend to forget and often need a reminder that God is bigger. God has a plan, and He is at work. When we see an impossible need, or a seemingly unanswered prayer, patience evaporates and panic looms large. We need a reminder that God’s methods do not fit our earthbound expectations.
Harvesting the Crop (Action/Response): Unless you suffer from the severe amnesia of Henry Molaison, there are some memory files that don’t seem to diminish with time. Those things you wish you had never done, those choices you wish you had not made, and those words you should have never used. Remorse and guilt don’t seem to fade into the forgotten places. They keep coming back to remind you of just how undeserving you are, how foolish, how selfish or fearful. They convince you that you are not usable material in God’s plans. In such instances, it would be easy to envy Henry’s disability. When a Christ follower comes to God with one of those already forgiven shameful, paralyzing memories, God develops amnesia. He scratches His head. He replies, “What sin? What blunder? I don’t have a recollection of that at all. Your sins are all under the deepest sea, but I do have something in mind that you can do for me today. Now why don’t you step out in this area and see what I will do?” What seemingly impossible walls are looming before you? Have you exhausted your resources to no avail? Are you stressed and ready to panic? In the midst of trials is the time to remember: These have come so that your faith – of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire - may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. (1 Peter 1:7) What memories do you feel disqualify you from serving God today? If He has forgiven and forgotten them, why not leave them in His Recycle bin and move ahead by faith today?
Cultivating (Additional Reading): Philippians 3:13-14; Psalms 103:12; Hebrews 12:1-3
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Calvary Chapel of Melbourne; 2955 Minton Road; W. Melbourne, FL 32904; 321-952-9673
All Bible references are from the New International Version (NIV) unless otherwise noted.
