[Faith-talk] Good Night Message for Monday, April 1, 2013

[Paul]

Well folks, for the majority of people in this world April 1 has come and gone, whereas we in the Americas and the Caribbean have a ways to go before we bid a fond adieu or farewell to this date in 2013.  I hope and pray that, by God's matchless grace and His providential care, that your day went well today or is going well.

Ken Maher, a pastor from Canada, contributed our article for today entitled "Remember Me?", rendered as follows:

There it is again.  Mocking me.  Teasing me with its promise that just never seems to come true.  On the computer, right under the log-in boxes for user names and passwords is that little check box, "Remember me." Why yes, please! That would be wonderful.  How thoughtful of you.

Yet each time I come back to the site, I need to log in again.  It hasn't remembered me at all.  So I check the box again, hoping that maybe this time I will be remembered.  But I'm not.

We all know what it's like to not be remembered:  that awkward and uncomfortable exchange when someone you know can't seem to place you.  There is no better way than instantly deflating a person's overgrown ego than to hear someone say:  "And you are ....?"

The fear of being forgotten starts so many of our conversations.  "Remember me? Last we had iced tea on so-and-so's porch." The fear of being forgotten leads many a youth to daring and foolhardy actions.  "I'll show them! They'll remember the day they called me a chicken!" The fear of being forgotten inspires many large works of philanthropy at the end of one's life.

But no matter how great or grand the gestures, no matter how foolish or foolhardy the actions, no matter how many times you type in the passwords and check the boxes, you will be forgotten.  Time has a way of wiping clean the memories of even the best of us.

Is it any wonder that people are afraid that God has forgotten them? How long do I need to be away before He asks, "And you are ...?" How much time apart is too much? How many sick-bed prayers begin, "Remember me, God? I used to worship at such-and-such church all those years ago." How many misinformed souls go to daring and foolhardy lengths to "buy" God's remembrance? How many death-bed occupants are moved to great and grand religious gestures in the hopes of being remembered before it is too late?

Fear not.  While we may forget, God does not! When you're united to Christ through God's gift of faith, God never forgets--He has carved you in the very palm of His hand.  You are there every time our Lord Jesus looks at His own hand; right there in that nail-shaped scar that bears your name!

Remember me? He certainly does!

And there you have Pastor Ken's article for today.  I'm sure that many people on this list are not forgotten by others.  What a gift of mutual encouragement and support we have in our online Christian communities! If only such were so in our local communities! I'm beginning to wonder how we survived without computers? We did, but it wasn't easy.

And now may the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob just keep us safe, individually and collectively, throughout this night or day and especially in these last days in which we live.  Your Christian friend and brother, Paul