MEMORY AND MEMORIZATION

I Was Just Thinking About – MEMORY and MEMORIZATION.

A few days ago, reference was made in a Blog to dementia and/or forgetfulness. It is an inner condition that one cannot control. The person so affected tries to cope with the frustration of knowing and remembering, and the context of how or why there is such knowing being absent. When this occurs with a person, family members and friends should be sensitive to that condition and “fill in the blanks” for the individual. If one is struggling to remember another’s name, that person ought to lovingly, gently and kindly (and with a smile) remind one what their name is: “Hi! I’m Jim. How are you today.” All of us must understand the frustration and struggle for the one whose memory is failing or faltering. The task is simple enough. Romans 15:1-7 (NIV – Selected) is one basic approach: “We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak… Each of us should please our neighbors for their good, to build them up… Accept one another just as Christ accepted you…” All of us are capable of implementing this basic consideration.

One suggested and possible preventative to total memory loss may be the practice of Memorization when one is younger. One mnemonic device was utilized in Psalm 119. It served a couple of purposes, not the least of which was the learning and remembering the principles of God’s standards and values. The Psalm is structured with 24 sections with each containing 8 verses; each section utilizes a letter of the 24 characters of the Hebrew Alphabet. I was a device to assist people to remember. A key reason given is Psalm 119:11, “I have stored up (treasured, hidden) your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.” Again, in Psalm 119:16, “I will delight in your statutes; I will not forget your word.”

Cultivation of the Memory while one is young (younger) may serve one well in the aging process as/when “forgetting” becomes more and more present. Two verses that should be cherished are, Proverbs 10:17, “The memory of the righteous is a blessing.” And, John 14:26, “The Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.” The mind is a very complicated part of who a person is and what a person may remember. With aging and the onset of forgetfulness, one of the haunting realities is vague remembrance of the past, especially as it pertains to sins of omission and commission. It would serve us all well if we could saturate our souls with this truth about our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, Isaiah 43:25, “I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more.” May this be a great truth that you personally remember regarding God’s love, mercy and grace toward you.

Prayerfully – consider these things with me.