Memories

A way in which we outdo God

Many of us grew up looking at Communion tables with the phrase, "This Do In Remembrance of Me" carved boldly. Do you realize that we all have better memories than God! No, this isn't blasphemy. Think about it for a minute.

Can you remember sins you committed 10 years ago? How about 20 or 30 years ago? I can. Some of them are crystal clear in my memory. God can't remember those.

Can you remember sins you committed last week? How about earlier today? I can. They are recent memories. God can't remember those.

I asked Him to forget them and He did. He didn't ask me to forget them because He knows me better than that. I have to catch myself when I ask for forgiveness because I have that human tendency to say things like, "I did it again, God." He must be scrathing His head wondering what I'm talking about. He has forgotten because I asked Him to.

Too bad we can't ask ourselves to forget with such good results. Have you been blocking God's love because you remember all that you did wrong and think He could never forgive or forget? We are coming up on Easter. That Easter centuries ago the Son of God took all our sins and paid the ultimate price so that we could live with a Father who forgets our failures. Too bad we don't.

You see, we have better memories than God.

Wilkie Nunn, Pastor, Downsville Church of the Brethren

Is Anger unChristian?

The Money Changers

We often feel like we have failed when we get angry. Somehow we feel that the LORD will think less of us if we lose our tempers. Yet, we have the example of His Own Son – the one He spoke of so lovingly when Jesus came up our of the baptismal waters of the River Jordan. The Son of God entered the temple, took time to braid a whip and then drove the sinners from His Father’s house. The courts would accuse Him of premeditation and malice aforethought. His anger was pure RIGHTEOUS INDIGNATION. We have the same right to be angry when the House or the WORD of God are defiled. That hasn’t changed in 2000 years.

As those who wish not to repent attempt to browbeat us into accepting them as unrepentent sinners we have every right to be angry. Yet, because we remember the words, "turn the other cheek" we mistake our Savior for a wimp. We need to find that RIGHTEOUS INDIGNATION like Jesus did and put it to good use. We need to clear the temple of those who would use it to imitate this world rather than praise God and plan to spend time in His World.

Wilkie Nunn, Pastor, Downsville Church of the Brethren