“My soul hath them still in remembrance, and is humbled in me. This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.”
–Lamentations 3:20-24
Recently, I attended the Jurisdictional AIM Convention of Virginia First in Fredericksburg, Virginia. It was a marvelous meeting and I heard a few dynamic messages that tremendously blessed me. It was at the Tuesday night service, Pastor Floyd Hawkins, of Shiloh COGIC, preached a message entitled “Precious Memories.” The Word really blessed me. However, the full impact of the message didn’t hit me until this past week.
I was driving home from church and for no particular reason I drove through our old neighborhood. As I looked at the condition of the homes – and several of them looked pretty bad – I turned the corner and saw one particular house that I attempted to purchase more than 26 years ago. The Holy Spirit began to speak to me and bring some things back to my mind. He reminded me how He blessed me when I was denied by the lending institution, even though they said my income was sufficient and my credit was good. I was crushed. I didn’t understand. I would drive by the house and park and just look at it. Tears would well up in my eyes because I felt like I had failed my family. I felt like God had deserted me.
I kept coming to church and I kept going to work, but there was this pain inside that I just couldn’t shake. Then God worked His will. Several months passed and He blessed us with another house around the corner that was in a better neighborhood. More amazingly we lived in that house for three years before we made one payment! It was then the message by Pastor Hawkins came rushing back to my mind and I was again brought to tears. However, this time they were a different kind of tears. These were tears of thankfulness and praise!
In the scripture, Jeremiah is in a bad state: he is lamenting or crying over the state of Jerusalem. They were in the midst of suffering at the hands of the Babylonians. Although he had prophesied this, to see it happening before his eyes was apparently more than he could stand. However, he had a flashback. Something he heard from God was recalled to his mind and he once again found hope. I’d like to think it may have been the 11th verse of the 29th chapter of Jeremiah which says, “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.”
We forget a lot of things: important dates, anniversaries, birthdays, assignments, appointments, commitments, promises, vows, etc. However, we should never forget the marvelous things God has done for us. Some people in the scripture did forget – Aaron and Miriam, King Saul, the Rich Fool, and Judas. I believe some people may even forget how awful life was before we received Jesus!
My friends, God has given us a few tools to help us remember, including testimonies, songs, His Word, the saints and the Holy Spirit. In fact, John 14:25-26 tells us that “These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you. But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.”
I bless God for my experience more than 26 years ago. I bless God for Pastor Hawkins’ message. I bless the Holy Ghost for bringing all these events back to my memory. I declare to Jesus today that I will never forget!
Jesus I’ll never forget, what you done for me,
Jesus I’ll never forget, how you set me free.
Jesus, I’ll never forget, how you brought me out,
Jesus I’ll never forget, no never!
I bless you in the name of the Lord