Reminders

When I wake each morning, I am surrounded by reminders of loved ones who are now in heaven. My grandma’s painting is above the bed.  My other grandma’s antique chairs are beside me. That’s where I sit and read my Bible. On the walls are pictures she designed, a needle point that my mother did, and paintings of the Susquehanna River near my childhood home. There is also a bookcase that my father-in-law built and it is loaded with special books and knick-knacks with special meaning.

All of these things bring pleasant memories to my mind and heart. They remind me of the goodness of the Lord demonstrated throughout my lifetime. I hope you have fond memories of your loved ones, too. Perhaps you weren’t as fortunate as I am to have a godly, artistic family. But certainly there must be some special people who have influenced you to become who you are today. Do you have something to remind you of them? Remind you in ways that are uplifting?

The mind is capable of remembering many things, but it also is good at forgetting. I sometimes wonder why some memories stay so clearly in my mind and others fade away. Why do some things impact me so strongly and others have a minimal effect on my life? Some memories are crowded out by present reality.

God, who made the human brain, knew of our tendency to forget important things. So He sometimes designed reminders for people. For instance, the rainbow is God’s reminder that He would never again destroy the earth with a flood. The twelve stones piled up at the Jordan River were a reminder of the miracle God performed in allowing the Children of Israel to cross the river on dry ground. Our church has a memorial at its entrance testifying that God made a way through a very difficult time in its history. It’s a reminder to walk faithfully with Him and watch Him work in our midst.

My favorite Biblical reminder is the Lord’s Table. Churches observe this regularly as a reminder of the sacrifice of Jesus, the Lamb of God, who gave Himself for us. The broken bread and the fruit of the vine are symbols that remind us of His broken body and blood shed on Calvary. Believe it or not, we might forget about these crucial elements if we weren’t reminded frequently. Jesus said, “Do this in remembrance of me.”

What reminders are special to you? Favorite verses on the wall? A favorite song? It’s different for each of us. How can you display things that will remind you of God?