By Remembering, We Can Forget
Today is the fifth anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on America. At the four crash sites memorials are being held in honor of those who died, and in recognition of the significance this event has had for our nation. It is the day that changed America, robbing us of our sense of security and stealing a piece of our freedom. September 11th, 2001 is one of those days that Americans must not forget. And yet, as with other similar events in our history, with the passing of time the memorials will be fewer and farer between, until September 11th will hardly be noticed by generations that were not alive to experience it. Time will pass, the pain and poignancy of the memory will soften, and future generations will forget. It is only natural.
God knows—all to0 well—this tendency in us. It didn’t take even a generation for Israel to forget the terrible plight of their slavery in Egypt, nor the momentous events of their deliverance. In fact, it only took a few months. Later, as a new generation was about to enter the promised land, Moses warned them no less than 27 times (Deuteronomy) to remember that they were once slaves in Egypt and that the Lord their God had brought them out with a mighty hand. They must not forget. The Sabbath, in fact, was given for this very purpose (Dt 5.12-15), as were the many other Israelite feast days.
As Christians, we likewise have a past that we must not forget. The New Testament provides countless reminders of that most momentous event in all of history: the day Jesus died and rose again. In 2 Tim 2.8, Paul says, “Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, descendant of David, according to my gospel.” This is the very reason Jesus instituted the Lord’s supper. It is a powerful weekly reminder of Jesus death and resurrection on our behalf.
Further, we are also admonished to remember our personal past, what we each were before being saved in Christ (Eph 2.11-12). We are to remember that we were once without God and without hope in the world, lost in our own sins, separated from God. We must never forget how we have been purified from our former sins and reconciled to God (2 Pet 1.9-13).
And yet, Paul exhorts us in another place to “forget what lies behind” (Phil 3.13). In one sense we must never forget our past, but in another sense we must let go of those past failures and forget about them—just as God has forgotten about them (Heb 8.12). Paul never forgot what he once was (1 Tim 1.13), yet he put it all behind him and looked forward to what lies ahead (Phil 3.13-14). In fact, it is by remembering the past (what Christ has done) that we are enabled to forget our past (what we have done), and to press on to the future. When it comes to things like 9/11, we are reminded so that we won’t forget. But when it comes to our own past failures and sins, we are reminded so that we can forget. We remember what Jesus has done so that we can forget what we have done.
© 2006 Randy Hohf