Our memories are both a blessing and a curse! It all depends on which ones we focus upon.

Our Heavenly Father has lovingly engineered our minds so that it is possible for us to recall events that occurred even decades in the past. I can imagine that prior to Adam’s sin, the human memory, though finite and creaturely, would have been truly ‘photographic,’ able to recall with remarkable accuracy all that previously transpired.

But on this side of the Fall, our minds are burdened by the effects of sin. As we grow older we lose memories of the past, many of them very precious to us. It gets harder to recall certain things. And our recollection of past events becomes sprinkled with inaccuracies that are due to the passage of time, disease, and other evidences of the pervasive corruption that our sin has brought to us.

Yet, despite the limitations of our minds, our memories remain a wonderful gift from God. And, surprisingly, our ability to remember plays a vital role in our sanctification!

Over and again, the Word of God calls upon us to “ remember” what He has done for us and in us in the past (for just one example, consider Deut. 5:15). The recollection of His mercy, grace, saving power, and faithfulness to us in the past is to be a powerful incentive to our present endurance and fidelity to our Lord and Savior.

That’s why the author of Hebrews calls upon all of us to remember our past life, especially the early days after we were saved and received into the fellowship of our Lord’s Church. In Hebrews 10:32 he says, “ But recall the former days. . . .”

As we examine the words of Hebrews 10:32-34 this coming Sunday, we will discover how our memories of the past can result in an amazing blessing in the present. By simply remembering what God has done for us in Christ, how His grace has transformed us, and how His perfect faithfulness to us has been in evidence, we are equipped to live with peace and confidence today!