Memory Blessings

I remember the days of old; I meditate on all that you have done; I ponder the work of your hands. —Psalm 143:5 ESV

New England is the best place to be in autumn—in my biased opinion! When my husband, Ray, was in the military, and we lived abroad, I missed my beautiful part of the country most in the fall. I wanted to see the brightness of the leaves against an October sky and hear their crunch under my feet while tromping through the woods. It’s a beautiful season. Trees light up the sky in a blaze of glory—before winter comes and blankets them all white and quiet during its own lovely season.

We had the great privilege of caring for Ray’s father during the last years of his life. He lived with us and enjoyed two autumns in our home. As I walk my neighborhood streets, marveling again at the fall colors, I can see him in my mind’s eye beside me. He loved his electric wheelchair. When you can’t walk, and you have to be Hoyer-lifted from bed to wheelchair every day, having an outdoor electric wheelchair is a great treat. Dad could control it and drive it, and it felt so good to be able to go where he wanted to go for a change. I can remember sometimes having to jog to keep up with him. He liked to go fast! Those memories are a rich blessing, tucked away in my mind and taken out every fall for fresh smiles.

God tells us repeatedly in the Bible to remember. In the daily busyness of life, we can so easily get bogged down and forget all the blessings He has bestowed upon us. This week, we are still basking in the beautiful memories and lessons from our ministry’s REFUGE 2023 Retreat last weekend. If we aren’t careful, we will slide right back into old habits and ways and forget the words God spoke to us as we sat quietly by the lake and heard Him in the stories and Bible readings throughout the weekend. But God calls us to remember the lessons He has taught and the gifts He has given. In our verse above, He entreats us to meditate on all He has done and ponder the work of His hands.

On His last day before His crucifixion, Jesus instructed His disciples, including us, not to forget. As He broke the bread and poured the wine at the last supper, He taught us to continue that act, creating a way for us to always remember His broken body and His blood shed for us on the cross. Each time we participate in communion, we remember His amazing gift of salvation and forgiveness of our sins.

Memory is a blessing and a gift. Let’s follow Paul’s good advice and choose to dwell on those memories that help us meditate on God’s goodness, “… Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise” (Philippians 4:8b NLT). As we meditate on all the good things God has done for us, our hearts well up once again with awe and wonder! Like the blazing autumn trees that make me remember my dear father-in-law, memories of times when God met us in a special way keep our love for our good, good Father God blazing in our hearts.

Dear Father, thank You for the gift of memory. Help us to dwell on memories that lead us to worship and wonder. Protect us from the memories of darkness that threaten to hurt and destroy. Instead, Lord, show us Your goodness in the past and whisper assurance that You do not change and there will be goodness ahead. I thank and praise You that You never leave us in the hard times. You carry us through them to even better times with You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

You are loved,
Sharon

Sweet Selah Ministries

Vision
To inspire a movement away from the belief that “busy is better”
and toward the truth of God’s Word that stillness and knowing
Him matter most—and will be reflected in more effective work and service

 Mission
To offer biblical resources and retreats that help women pause (Selah)
and love God more deeply as they know Him more intimately (Sweet)

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