The Power of Remembering: A Lesson from My Car Door

Most people are aware that the driver’s side door on my car won’t open from the inside, which I’ve mentioned before. However, guess what happened yesterday? While driving, I accidentally hit the automatic door lock button. When I arrived at my destination, I rolled down the window, reached outside, and pulled the handle, expecting the door to open. Naturally, it didn’t. After several failed attempts—thinking the door was now completely stuck—I suddenly remembered something important. I pressed the automatic door lock button again, reached out, and was able to open my car door with ease.

The Importance of Remembering in Our Spiritual Lives

This simple moment with my car door made me reflect on the importance of memory. As Christians, we are encouraged to remember. In Psalm 103:1-2, we read: “Bless the LORD, O my soul, And all that is within me, bless His holy name. Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget none of His benefits…” Essentially, we are reminded to "forget not," or in other words, to remember God's goodness and blessings.

Memory is crucial in our faith journey. For example, Christians deeply rooted in their religious traditions often retain those traditions, even when facing challenges like Alzheimer’s. While traditions can be valuable, we must ensure that the traditions we hold dear are based on Biblical principles, not merely inherited practices. In fact, many of the things we do in church are traditions, but we may have forgotten the reasons behind them, doing them simply because previous generations did.

Remembering the Things of God

As believers, it’s essential to remember the things of God—the attributes of God, His promises, and most importantly, His love. One way to strengthen our memory is by regularly reading God's Word and storing it in our hearts. This practice helps us to remember who God is and all He has done for us.

Conclusion: Focus on What Truly Matters

As I learned with my car door, sometimes it’s easy to forget the key things we need in life. But just like I needed to remember how to unlock my car door, we need to remember what truly matters—God’s love, His promises, and His faithfulness. Let’s strive to keep the important things close to our hearts.

Remembering the important stuff—that’s the key to spiritual growth.