Remembered

I have some pretty random thoughts sometimes. One of my thoughts this week was wondering if I come to other people’s minds the way they come to mind, especially old friends and acquaintances. Those people from my past who pop into my mind now and then, leaving me to wonder where they are and what they’re doing. Yesterday it was a childhood friend, a girl I last saw 20 years ago this fall. Do I ever pop into her mind like she does mine? Does she remember me? If so, what does she remember? Does she ever pray for me like I occasionally do for her?

The truth is, I want to be remembered. And I want to be remembered well. I want people to wish they could see me again, or at least to be curious about where I am and what I’m doing.

I know it’s not all about me and it really shouldn’t matter. But, the truth is still there: I want to be remembered.

The problem with this whole scenario is not that I hunger to be remembered, but that I hang all of my desires on people. People from my past who are human. People who are as forgetful as I am. People who have lived a great deal of life since knowing me. And, in all of my desiring, I forget a very important truth.

I am remembered!

I am remembered by my Creator, the Almighty God of everything in existence! And, it’s not the kind of remembrance based on an idea that He has at one time forgotten me. It is a remembrance of constantly being before Him. I am perpetually remembered. I am continually on His mind.

It gets even better than that. He knows that I need reassurances and reminders of His remembrance. After all, He’s the One who created me that way. He created me to need the companionship of other believers. And He commanded us to encourage one another. So, do you know what He does? He reminds other people to remember me!

And He reminds me to remember others.

He reminds us to send that little text or Facebook message. He prompts us to make a phone call or to tap out an email. Or maybe even to swing by and say hello. He nudges us to pick up a card on a routine trip to the store or to grab a quick, thoughtful gift. All of those little things that help us remind one another that we remember.

The neat thing is that the encouragement that comes from such remembrance is based on God’s glory. When we let each other know we are remembering, we are building one another’s faith. When I have a week of being in need of prayer and a friend lets me know out of the blue that she’s been praying for me, it strengthens my faith. When a name nags at my mind and I can’t help but pray, I love to seek the Lord about how specifically to pray. Then when I say something to that person and hear how God worked through those prayers, my faith is again strengthened – and so is my friend’s. We lift up praises to Him, knowing that He remembers! We share that truth with others, bringing glory to His Name. His remembrance through His children is an amazing thing that edifies us and honors Himself. It is beautiful.

Is there anyone you can actively remember this week? Is there someone God has been bringing to your mind frequently lately? Someone you’ve been praying for but haven’t told? Let them know that you remember them!

Who knows but that your remembrance might be the exact God-given encouragement and faith strengthener they need today.