A Trip Down Memory Lane

Memories are interesting.  They tend to be selective.  When I think back over childhood my thoughts go in one of two places...really great memories or really NOT.  The black and the white stand out and the grey all blends together.

I remember sledding at full speed down the best hill in our neighborhood with my buddies...and I remember the cracking ice, falling in the water up to my knees, and having to walk home frozen.  

I remember when my oldest sister did puppets for our VBS
(I was so proud)...and I remember when she locked me in the closet and told me I was adopted (I am not, although occasionally she still tries that one).

I remember a lot of celebrating with my Granddaddy.  (Many of the best moments were with him.)  But also seared into my memory is the hurt I felt from his battle with depression. 

I remember exact details of the day I received my first car from my parents...and exact details of the day my oldest friend died. 

I remember the day I stood up at camp and knew I was supposed to serve the Lord forever...and I remember days when I made terrible choices that did not represent Him well.

I have some really good news today!  God has selective memory as well.  Only His memory is even more selective than ours.  Psalm 103:11-12 says, "For His unfailing love toward those who fear Him is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth.  He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west."  And Hebrews 8:12 says, "And I will forgive their wickedness, and I will NEVER AGAIN REMEMBER their sins."  He has forgiven our sins completely and has chosen to remember them no more!  Instead of recalling our bad choices He thinks about Jesus and what He did on our behalf.  

So think about this.  When God our Father thinks about us, His children, He thinks about a whole long list of things He loves about us.  His trip down memory lane is filled to the brim with great stuff!  He "never again remembers our sins." It would be interesting to know how many gray memories He treasures that we do not remember at all.  Maybe we should take a walk down memory lane with Him today and let Him tell us some of the things He remembers.  It will be the best trip ever!