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
Have you ever stopped and considered the power of memory? Our memories can be a real blessing, but memory can create problems for us as well. I love to relive pleasant memories of enjoyable times and funny stories. However, what causes us trouble us when we recall painful events that we would rather not ever think about. Perhaps you have found that at times one of those memories just sort of pops into your head without even trying and you find yourself maybe getting sad or upset all over again. This is where we trust God with not only our hearts, but also our minds. By the power of the Holy Spirit we allow the Lord to direct our thoughts to those which are useful, beneficial, and will enhance our walk with the Lord. Recall what Romans 12:2 says about not being conformed to the world, but transformed by the renewing of our minds: The Word of God renews our minds in such a way that we can put from us negative and harmful thoughts and memories, while at the same time embracing those that are helpful and worth reliving.
God has shown us that He too recalls what needs to be remembered and He does to our benefit. Recall Genesis 8:1: The Bible says that after the flood that God remembered Noah. God had not forgotten the promise He had made to Noah that if he was faithful then he would be blessed, and because of his faithfulness God protected Noah and his family while the entire world perished. Like Noah, God will not forget us. He remembers us during our time of need and during those times when we are down and discouraged. God will not forget us.
God’s memory is also ongoing to our benefit. Genesis 9:15 says that God told Noah that He would remember the covenant that He made and that He would not again destroy the world by water. When God makes a promise He is going to keep it. He will not forget and He will not renege on the promise. Something that I find as I study the scriptures is that God does not recall to us our past mistakes and failures. Instead, He recalls the good He has promised. Isn’t that a powerful example for us? If we will take this to heart we will find a great blessing in the way we look at life and the way we treat one another. One of the most destructive things we can do to one another in the church, in our families, between friends, or in a marriage is to bring up past mistakes and failures and use them as weapons. The reason that is unfair is because none of are perfect and we have all made mistakes and have failed at one time or another. We do one another great harm to drag those events up and use them against one another. God does not and will not do that to us. Rather, He demonstrates to us His grace which is ongoing and always merciful.
As we have been shown grace and mercy, we are then called to go forth and show grace and mercy to others (See Matthew 18:21-ff). Now, is any of this easy? The answer is of course not. Human nature leads us to do that which goes against the grace and mercy of God. It is by faith that God moves, works, and acts in our lives to our benefit and His glory. And we must respond in faith and a Christ-like spirit to reap the blessings of that grace. We see in scripture that when the wrath of God comes, what follows is His mercy and grace. God will remember what He has promised and He will recall the covenant He has made with us. Time and time again we find where God remembers His servants and He does so in a positive way. He doesn’t shake His head and say, “Oh my, what a bunch of losers,” but rather God recalls us with love.
God is perfectly willing to show us mercy when we trust in Him and put our faith in Him. We know that according to the Word of God that even the vilest sinner can be saved who is willing to trust in the Lord.
