SOMETHING WORTH REMEMBERING

    Each and every one of us have something worth remembering.  Such things are sung about, written about, and taught to us through formal times of instruction or simple experiences of life.  Among those things written about you will find exhortations from God's word intended to help us remember teachings of utmost importance.

     Peter speaks of this in his second letter to the brethren (2 Pet. 3:1,2), as he exhorts them to remember the words spoken before hand by the holy prophets, as well as commandments set forth by Christ through the apostles.  Many times we don't want to hear what is being said.  Reasons for this attitude will vary but what is taking place is a rejection of God's word.  

     When you need words of comfort to whom do you turn?  When you need strength to whom do you go?  Again, answers will vary, but for the most part the answer will not be the Lord.  This is why Peter was writing this second letter.  To remind the brethren of what they heard and the source of that teaching.  These were not mere thoughts of men, but the words of the Lord.  The purpose of these words was to impart a source of encouragement, edification, and and admonition.

     Yet even the words of our God are sometimes not enough to keep us anchored to Him through faith.  We often go our own way, drifting away from our source of safety and comfort.  We end up fighting battles on our own.  All because we don't remember what can be found within God's word.

     A passage of Scripture familiar to each one of us is Proverbs 22:6, "Train up a child in the way he should go, even when he is old he will not depart from it" (NASB).  This passage relates to us there is something worth remembering.  When a child is raised to know the word of God, there is a seed planted that may not always bloom to produce fruit when we think it should.  Sometimes it seems to take longer for some to mature in the knowledge of God's word than others.  Times of unfaithfulness may also result, but there is always that ray of hope when a seed is planted.

     This is not to say that we condone sinful behavior, but once that seed has been planted, it is up to the individual and God concerning the fruit that will come.  We simply pray.  We cannot lose hope for we never know what the future holds.  That training in godliness is never really forgotten was shown to me in our last visit to the nursing homes in Leitchfield.  As we were singing the songs, I noticed an elderly woman singing along.  She held no songbook.  She sang the words from memory.  The  training and teaching from years past were evident.

     Once we learn something we never fully forget.  What becomes important is what we are teaching.  We may desire for our children to have the best education money can buy, but if we are not instilling God's word into the hearts of our children, then we have robbed them of the most precious education available to man.  And this teaching has very little cost.

     If we want the best for our children then we should strive to provide them with a knowledge of God's word.  As they grow they may encounter various trials but they will always be aware of the anchor available to keep them from drifting.  When life gets hard they will always look back at the teaching of their youth and acknowledge this is truly something worth remembering.  Rodger