Hey guys,
I recently had a conversation with a friend about people's tendency to hoard possessions and I came to the realization that I have a habit of collecting little things for sentimental reasons. An ocarina, movie stubs, an ostrich egg, couple of doodle covered notebooks, some handmade gifts from artsy friends, a large key - each of these items holds important memories to me. I also happened to have been reading a book by Mark Batterson and was on a chapter about the importance of life symbols in our Christian walk. Mark noticed one day that his office was decorated with art that, however aesthetic, held no meaning for him and resolved to fill his office with objects and pictures that would remind him of God's faithfulness in his life and ministry.
His reasoning, and I'm inclined to agree with him, is that memories of the past shape our subconscious and strongly influence our present perspectives and actions. Remembrance is a recurring theme in the bible, the word "remember" appears over 230 times. So we see holidays like Passover and Purim inaugurated, promises and covenants made, and altars built - all for the purpose of reminding these godly men and women of God's faithfulness in remembering them. We effectively build altars of remembrances for ourselves every time we revisit memories of times God's pulled through for us. It can be as simple as looking at old pictures, listening to a song that holds special meaning for us, making a pilgrimage to a location where you've encountered God, regularly examining how prayers have been answered, or perhaps by hoarding and decorating your room/office with small keepsakes to remind you of His goodness.
Encouragement for the week: Collect and review God exalting memories and build altars that reminds us of God's faithfulness so that in moments when we are most tempted to forget Him, we do not.
Have a happy Thursday!
Edward
"...My soul is cast down within me; therefore I will remember you..." Psalm 42:5
"Then let us arise and go up to Bethel, so that I may make there an altar to the God who answers me in the day of my distress and has been with me wherever I have gone." Genesis 35:3
"One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, 'Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!' But the other rebuked him...And he said, 'Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.' And he said to him, 'Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.'" Luke 25:39-43
Quite possibly the cutest puppy ever. Happy wakes up.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8G4YgQyEMk&feature=related
No comments:
Post a Comment