“I have remembered Your judgments from of old Lord, And comfort myself.“
“ … I remember Your name in the night, And keep Your Law. “
Memory is a hot topic these days. According to Psalm 119, remembering God provides comfort, calmness, and direction. Scripture tells us to work on our memory in numerous ways:
- Build monuments to remind us of His promises.
- Be still and remember that He is God.
- Take communion in remembrance of Him.
- Hide His word in our hearts. (Memorize scripture)
In this passage David’s spirit is bolstered by remembering God’s judgements and law. Recalling God’s mercy and deliverance, and controlling our thoughts is an important strategy in limiting stress and anxiety. So, do you work at it?
Exercising regularly and eating right are important physically. Exercising and caring for our brain is even more crucial. We are militant about diets, supplements, and avoiding toxins bodily, but seem careless with our thought life. Why is that? Why don’t we take daily dosages of scripture with the same discipline we take vitamins? Shouldn’t we approach time in prayer with the same consistency we apply to working out?
My mother suffered from dementia and there were times she wasn’t sure who I was… but she never forgot a single hymn we sang in church. So, whether you realize it or not, the music you listen to matters… The images you allow to be seared into your brain matter. Regularly feeding your mind packaged fear from the media matters. Garbage in means garbage out… Your brain gives back to you, what you give it. You control the input, and that determines your mental and emotional strength.
The benefit of a strong mind is the ability to remember His name when the darkness comes. When we face storms, He is our shelter… Train your heart to remember Him. Read His word. Build monuments. Regularly celebrate His faithfulness. Prepare for the storm by speaking, reading, and meditating on scripture.
No matter how my body decays I want His commandments tattooed on my mind, so the last thing that leaves my consciousness is His Holy Word. Even if the time comes when I can’t remember my own name, I never want to forget His.
“There is no place in my soul, no corner of my character, where God is not.” - Evelyn Underhill
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