"Beware That You Forget Not The LORD Your GOD!"

The memory
(Arthur Pink, "Forgetting" 1950)

What a wonderful thing is the memory--
one of the many precious faculties with 
which the CREATOR has endowed us. 

By it we are enabled . . .
  to live the past over again in our minds, 
  to revive the early experiences of childhood, 
  to recall the words of those who are 
no longer with us. 

By it, we may review the LORD'S dealings 
with us in grace and in providence, call back 
to mind HIS interventions on our behalf, 
delivering us when in straits--
or rejoicing our hearts while HE 
talked with us along the way. 

By it, we can turn over the pages 
of our chequered lives, and read what 
is recorded both for and against us. 

Memory is the power of retention, 
the storehouse in which all our 
knowledge is preserved. 
It is not possible to assess 
its value in silver and gold. 

How much poorer would we be--
if everything were erased 
from its tablets! 

One of the greatest tragedies of life, 
is for a person to lose his mind and 
memory. It is indeed hard to part 
with any faculty, but, if compelled 
to make the choice, probably most 
of us would rather be deprived 
of our limbs, our hearing, or even 
our sight, than our mentality--
yet comparatively few cultivate 
and use it as they should. 

The memory is indeed of vast 
importance, for it is the treasurer of the 
soul. What the understanding takes in--
the memory stores up. Knowledge, 
intellectual growth, social 
fellowship, the spiritual life--
all have their roots in this faculty 
of retention. But this invaluable 
gift, like all others, entails 
a corresponding obligation. 

Each talent that GOD has 
bestowed upon us is for use--
and if it is not employed, it will 
deteriorate. As unexercised limbs 
become stiff, and muscles flabby--
so an unused memory becomes 
enfeebled. The memory may be 
developed and controlled--
though time and trouble are 
required for this, as for 
everything else of worth. 

Memory is largely a matter of volition. 
Said the Psalmist, 

"I will not forget your word" (119:16). 

Definiteness of purpose is required, 
whether we shall recall a thing or 
dismiss it from our minds. 

Remembering is a setting of 
knowledge to work, reviewing 
the notions and impressions we 
have received, by exercising our 
thoughts about and meditating 
upon them. 

The seat of the memory is the heart. 
Of Mary it is said, that she kept all 
these things "in her heart" (Luke 2:19, 51)--
things kept there, are never lost.

This leads us to point out that 
there is both a notional or 
speculative remembering--
and a practical or influential one. 

The former is where we 
barely think of things--
and receive no profit or 
benefit from them. 

The latter is where the mind is so 
engaged with the object recalled--
that the affections are fired and 
the will moved by it. Thus the faculty 
of memory is given us by GOD 
as a means unto an end--
to be a help in promoting piety.

The Scriptures abound with 
exhortations to remembrance. 
At the fore of them, we would 
place that one where those 
of tender years are bidden, 

"Remember now your CREATOR
in the days of your youth, before 
the evil days come" (Ecclesiastes 12:1). 

Bear in mind that, since HE 
is your MAKER, HE is therefore 
your rightful LORD and OWNER--
so conduct toward HIM as such, 
rendering unto HIM the homage 
and honor that are HIS due. 

Meditate much upon HIS glorious 
perfections; call HIM to mind 
constantly while your heart is yet 
impressionable, and habits for good 
or evil are being formed for life; 
and thereby you will be fortified 
against the temptations of youth. 

All of men's wickedness and misery 
comes through forgetting GOD, 
hence the warning, 

"Beware that you forget 
not the LORD your GOD!" 
(Deuteronomy 8:11).

   ~  ~  ~  ~  ~

GraceGems has published Timothy Shay Arthur's helpful 4 page article,
 "Forgive and Forget!".