Recently I received an invitation to attend my class reunion. I took a look at the class secretary’s plea for addresses. You see, there were two columns filled with names of fellow students whose whereabouts are unknown; seems there are a lot of people, friends from way back when, who have disappeared. That got me to thinking, “I wonder what’s happened to them? I wonder how they’ve done?” As I’ve gotten older, I often have those kinds of thoughts. And not necessarily just about people I know personally. Sometimes I wonder about the whereabouts of complete strangers.
When I look at a silent movie and see a cast of hundreds, I wonder. These people, whose existence was recorded for a few seconds on a piece of now-neglected film, did they reach all the goals they had set for themselves? Where did they go? Did they hope to be discovered? Were these few seconds before the camera their only claim to fame? I wonder what happened to them.
It is one of the sorry marks of this sinful world that people forget. Those people who win an Academy Award this year will, a century from now, be almost entirely forgotten. Political leaders that are acclaimed by thousands will, a few generations from today, become a footnote in the history books. We forget. Even those people who were once important to us, who were our friends and confidants, slowly slip from memory.
In contrast to our short-term memories, we are blessed to have a Savior who never forgets us. Even though there are billions of us on this planet—even though we may be ignored and forgotten by everyone else—Jesus remembers us. That is an inadequate statement—Jesus does more than remember us; Jesus loves us. Do you have sin? He died to forgive it. Do you have pain? He will help you carry it. Do you feel alone? He will never leave you or forsake you. So that you might live and be remembered for all eternity is why Jesus came. Will you not, in your life, remember Him and live each day by giving thanks?
Excerpt from The Lutheran Hour sermon preached on August 10, 2003
The Prayer: Heavenly Father, please guard my mind from memory loss, so I won’t forget that You sent Your one and only Son to die for my sins. Allow me to never forget that I am Your child, and You are my Father. I shall praise You all the days of my life!
In Jesus’ Name. Amen.