The Special of the Day… From the Orange Moon Cafe…
(a repeat from 2015)
"More Than Memories"
When we journey to the past in heart and mind, we must be sure to go with God.
"I will remember the works of the LORD: surely I will remember Thy wonders of old" (Psalm 77:11).
Thinking back on pleasant and happy occasions offers opportunity for something much more than memories. "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights" (James 1:17). When we recall our blessings with gratitude and offerings of thanksgiving, we see by faith the greatest reality of our yesterdays. We see the Giver, the Giver who gave to us every blessing from the gracious lovingkindness of His heart. Thus, we journey to the past of God's generous lovingkindness not only in remembrance for the gifts, but with gratitude for the fount of God's goodness from which they flowed. "Give thanks at the remembrance of His holiness" (Psalm 30:4). Yes, we remember our happy times as more than memories. We see them as opportunities for praise and thanksgiving.
We also look back to see our Heavenly Father in yesterday's pains, difficulties, and sorrows. His involved and active presence served as the greatest reality of all, either determining or allowing our challenges in complete confidence He could weave them together for His glory, our benefit, and the benefit of others through us. Regarding wrongs committed against us, for example, God did not determine people to mistreat, neglect, or hurt us. "God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth He any man" (James 1:13). In the mysteries of His wisdom, however, He did allow the trials that occurred through the misdeeds of our offenders. Thus, we journey with our Lord to the painful portions of our past for the purpose of seeing Him there, working together for good the wrongs committed against us (Romans 8:28). We "sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving" for those times, and for the ongoing work of the Lord to redeem us from their effects (Psalm 107:22). As Joseph confessed to the brothers who so dreadfully wronged him, "Ye thought evil against me, but God meant it unto good" (Genesis 50:20). Like our blessings, we recall such difficult days and all other challenging times as more than memories. We see the opportunity to give thanks for God's "very present help in trouble" (Psalm 46:1).
When we journey to our past, we must not go alone. We go with the God so perfectly able to illuminate our view of days gone by. We choose to see Him in our yesterdays of blessing, believing our Heavenly Father bestowed upon us every good and perfect gift. We also choose to believe that no painful moment of the past escaped His ability to redeem and use for our benefit and the blessing of others made possible through our challenges (II Corinthians 1:3-7). We will not fully understand how God works our trials together for our good. We just know that He does. His Word declares this truth. He cannot lie. He always fulfills His promises. Thus, we journey to the past for the primary purpose of seeing our Heavenly Father there in the blessings, the challenges, and the all of our lives. We make our memories more than memories as we give thanks and rest our hearts in the God of our yesterdays, todays, and forever.
We must not go alone
when we journey to the past,
along the trail of memories
that in our hearts hold fast.
For we did not go alone
through the blessings and the trials,
Someone was ever with us
in times of tears and smiles.
So, we must not go alone
when we ponder yesterdays.
Let us journey with the Father
so worthy of our praise.
For He was there in all,
weaving all together,
for the glory of His Son
and our benefit forever.
We must not go alone when we journey to the past.
"Thou hast been my help, therefore, in the shadow of Thy wings will I rejoice."
(Psalm 63:7)
"God… worketh all things after the counsel of His own will."
(Ephesians 1:3; 11)
Weekly Memory Verse
"But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name."
(John 1:12).
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