Forthright Fixation

Have you ever walked into a room with a specific purpose, only to stop dead in the doorway, confused to realize you have no idea why you’re there? Then you must make that embarrassing trek back to where you came in hopes that a visual cue will jog your memory. I do this quite frequently. Something about the drifting space between Point A and Point B is a vacuum for memory. When I’m not consciously remembering my purpose, my mind wanders to another thought or another task.

Unfortunately, my forgetfulness extends beyond the Why Am I Here Syndrome. The vacuum, the drifting space, is ever present in my walk with the Lord. I am an earthbound sinner with simple mental functions. And, to make matters worse, Satan is actively seeking to rob my memory while the World constantly tosses distractions in my path—they both side with my sinful nature, making the fight to not forget the new creature I am in Christ a difficult one. Forgetfulness makes me linger in my old nature. And you know as well as I do, friends, that that nature provides no joy and brings no glory to God. Perhaps this is why God commands His children throughout Scripture to remember, to not forget, to recall who He is what He’s done for them.

Take this passage for instance, and remember with me…

Remember these things, O Jacob,
for you are My servant, O Israel.
I have made you, you are My servant;
O Israel, I will not forget you.
I have swept away your offenses like a cloud,
your sins like the morning mist.
Return to Me, for I have redeemed you.     Isaiah 44.21-22

Remember these things:

You are My servant
I am not yours; you cannot define Me, contain me, control me, or change me. You exist to bring Me glory. And when you are glorifying Me alone – then will you find satisfaction.

I have made you
I formed you in the womb. I designed every part of you with divine love, care, and purpose. I know you thoroughly—your heart, your mind, your ambitions, your will, your weaknesses. Because I made you, you are Mine — my darling property — and I take utmost interest in the welfare of My own.

You are My servant
I will say it again. You are everlastingly my beloved bondservant. I have branded you with My name. You may run away, or serve other masters, or fail to serve Me wholly and perfectly, but I will call you back and still use you for My purposes.

I will never forget you
I have engraved you on the palm of My hand. You are Mine, and I will never let you go. You are never too small, too weak, or too inadequate that I would overlook you or throw you away. You may forget Me, but I will never forget you.

I have swept away all of your offenses
I have removed your sins as far as the East is from the West. Your debt is paid by the blood of Christ, and His righteous life is accredited to you. I will remember your sins no more! You are washed clean in My sight.

I have redeemed you
I have redeemed you from the curse of the law, by becoming a curse for you. Look to the cross – this is how much I love you! I laid down My life that I may adopt you as My child. If that doesn’t give you value, dear one, then what does?

and because these things are true… Return to Me

God calls us to remember truths such as these. He takes the sin of forgetfulness seriously; He knows it’s to our harm to lose sight of these truths. So let’s be purposeful and fight that vacuum, reminding ourselves of who He is. This includes remembering what we read in our quiet time, how a sermon pierced our hearts, His specific promises to us, what He is doing in our lives, how He has been faithful to us thus far, and – perhaps most importantly – that He will never forget us no matter what.

What does “remembering and returning” look like practically in your life? I’d love to hear what tools (i.e. journaling, sticky notes, accountability) help you to “not forget”.

Filed under: Christian Living, Forgiven