One of the most frustrating things about growing older is forgetting things! If I don’t write a thought down quickly, it’s gone! Do you suppose God has a hard time remembering things?
When we think about God and His skills of remembering or forgetting things, one of our first thoughts is likely the comforting text quoted in Hebrews 8:12, “I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.” We want God to forget our sins, and He has ensured us that such is possible!
But what if God was like us and His “forgetterer” worked better than His “rememberer”? While we are happy (and desirous) for God to forget our sins, aren’t you glad that His mind isn’t like ours and He does not (yeah, even can not) forget some key things!
The Bible teaches that God does not forget His promises to His people. Moses foretold of a day when the Jews would be scattered among the nations because they had turned their back on God (Deut. 4:25-28), but there was hope. When they remembered God and turned back to Him, He would be merciful to them because He will not “forget the covenant of your fathers which He swore to them” (4:29-31). When God makes a promise, He keeps it (Heb. 6:18). Even when man is not faithful to Him, “He remains faithful” (2 Tim. 2:13). Thanks be to God that He doesn’t forget!
The Bible teaches that God does not forget the needs of His people. There are times when our “enemies” and “the wicked” and “trouble” seem to surround and overwhelm (Psalm 9), but there is hope. When God’s people continue to “put their trust” in Him through it all, “He remembers them; He does not forget the cry of the humble” (9:10-12). A nearly worthless sparrow is “not…forgotten before God” (Luke 12:6), and neither are you! For He “knows” (and doesn’t forget) “the things you have need of before you ask Him” (Matt. 6:8)!
The Bible teaches that God does not forget the works of His people. While we may sometimes want credit, or at least acknowledgement, from man for some good deed that we have done, that “reward” should not be our aim (Matt. 6:1-21). “For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister” (Heb. 6:10). He remembers now our works of service toward others, and they will “follow” us into eternity (Rev. 14:13). He doesn’t forget them!
Aren’t you glad that while we are forgetful, God is not! He looks at His children and says, “I have formed you…you will not be forgotten by Me” (Isa. 44:21)!