Can You Remember?

Two middle-aged couples were enjoying friendly conversation when one of the men asked the other, "Fred, how was the memory clinic you went to last month?" "Outstanding," Fred replied. "They taught us all the latest psychological techniques, such as visualization, association and so on. It was great. I haven't had a problem since."

"Sounds like something I could use. What was the name of the clinic?" Fred went blank. He thought and thought, but couldn't remember. Then a smile broke across his face and he asked, "What do you call that flower with the long stem and thorns?" "You mean a rose?" "Yes, that's it!" He turned to his wife, "Hey Rose, what was the name of that memory clinic?"

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary defines memory as: "The act of recollecting, or recalling to the memory; the operation by which objects are recalled to the memory." It happens to everyone past a "certain" age. Our memory goes a little flat along with other things. So, we begin looking for tricks to help remind us of things much like the gentlemen in the story above.

The Apostle Paul wrote a letter to the church in Thessalonica several months after his first letter. The purpose of this was to reemphasize the coming return of Jesus Christ. Some of the folks living there thought Jesus had already returned. He wrote this letter to straighten out any misunderstandings they might have.

He (Paul) gently asked them "if they did not remember what he had taught them before?" 2 Thessalonians 2:5 It seems that they had already forgotten certain parts of Paul's teachings since his original letter.

In the book of James, Jesus' half-brother wrote to Jewish believers to encourage them to endure and live bold Christian lives. He reminded them that it wasn't enough to just listen to the word because that could be deceiving. You have to do what it says! This makes perfectly good sense because if you simply hear and not act on something, it is easier to forget; than if you actually practice what you heard. James 1:22

This applies to most things in life, but it is especially so with the Bible. There is a lot of excellent advice for living within its pages. However, as James reminds us, we need to not just read about it; but put it into action. How about today?

Let's pray:

Dear Lord, as I go through my day;
help me to remember your teachings, and
remind me that I should apply what I know
towards others, in everything I do;
In this small way, I will help spread your message
of love, understanding, and compassion wherever I go,
and in whatever I do.
Amen

Love,

T.J.