~ written by Connie Dunmyer
My husband and I just celebrated our 47th Anniversary, during which we spent a good deal of time REMEMBERING – homes, children, grandchildren, travels, people, places, meals, fun memories and experiences. In our remembering, we found that for an experience or a traveled place to be highly impactful, it required a person – known or unknown. For instance, "known" . . . It is simply not possible for me to not smile at the thought of my grandchildren – remembering their smiles, antics, homemade cards, etc.
One of my favorite memories (that doesn't involved a grandchild) is of an "unknown" small, Italian woman, who did not speak a lick of English. We stopped into her little Mediterranean café for lunch the day after a terrorist attack in Paris. And while we were there “motioning” at what we wanted to eat, she and I “communicated” our sorrow together about Paris with my very minimal Italian and her non-existent English. But our hearts connected. And so now, this dear woman that I do not know nor will ever see again, causes me to smile every time I “remember” her from that day.
In the book of Genesis, we read about Noah. God told him to build an ark. And because of his obedience, his life, the lives of his family, and the lives of animals were saved. That’s the very short version. The very long version was lived by Noah and his family and lasted some 370 days in a dark, noisy, and I’m sure rather smelly ark.
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
BUT GOD … REMEMBERED
I’m sure after all that time stuck inside the ark, Noah probably had some doubts. I’m sure they all got on each other’s nerves, and got a bit testy from time to time. And I can’t get away from the idea of the smell. Uck!!
From this scripture we also see that God sent a wind and the waters receded. But the waters were not gone immediately. It took a long extended time before the ark even rested on the mountain top. It took more extended time for waters to recede enough for vegetation to grow. And even more extended time before the waters receded enough for them to leave the ark.
How tempted was Noah to think that they were never going to get to leave that boat? How tempted was Noah to worry about whether or not the food they packed would be enough? How tempted was Noah to think he must have misunderstood God? How tempted was Noah to think it was taking too long - that surely God must have forgotten him? Regardless, no matter his thoughts and worries, no matter the smell, no matter the tempers, no matter the circumstances – God did not forget about Noah or his family or even all those animals. God Remembered.
There are days when I doubt God remembers me. And so I will sometimes wave my proverbial hand in His direction and yell “Hey – remember me?!” But God remembers . . .
Genesis 30:22 “Then God remembered Rachel; He listened to her and enabled her…”
Exodus 2:24 “God heard their groaning, and He remembered His covenant…”
Numbers 10:9 “When you go into battle... you will be remembered before the Lord your God, and be saved from your enemies.”
Psalm 98:3 “He has remembered His love and His faithfulness…”
Psalm 105:8 “He remembers His covenant forever, the promise He made, for a thousand generations.”
Psalm 115:12 “The Lord remembers us and will bless us.”
Some years ago, there was a period of time when I felt all alone. I was estranged from my parents. Many friends had left me alone. My daughters had moved out, as children must do. And we had some serious issues with some of our clients. I was convinced that I was either being punished, or that God had simply forgotten me in the wilderness. And then one late night, I read this:
Isaiah 49:14–18 “But Zion [Connie] said, “The Lord has forsaken me, the Lord has forgotten me.” “Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me. Your children hasten back, and those who laid you waste depart from you. Lift up your eyes and look around; all your children gather and come to you. As surely as I live,” declares the Lord, “you will wear them all as ornaments; you will put them on, like a bride…”
Don’t you just LOVE it when God speaks words written centuries ago to your current specific problems and/or fears?
Hey, you know what? There IS one time that God does NOT remember . . .
Hebrews 8:12 “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”
And how thankful I am for that!! And so every time the enemy floods my mind with memories I’d rather forget – then I can “remember” that God does NOT “remember” them anymore. And even when I forget His promises - He is faithful and will not forget me.
BUT GOD . . . is faithful! He will not forget us. He will provide.
BUT GOD . . . will not leave me like this. He remembers me. He lifts me up. He gives me life and breath each day.
BUT GOD . . . will remember me. He will remember my family, my friends, my employees, my clients.
If we, very imperfect humans, can “remember” with a smile, then surely our Father, the One Who designed and created each of us, will “remember” us – will remember me – with a smile. It’s been longer than 370 dark, confusing, stinky days – but God still remembers and He is still working things out for my good (Romans 8:28).
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