Remembrance

Are you remembering to remember?
 
I read the account of Joseph in Pharaoh's dungeon recently and how he showed kindness to a fellow prisoner – a cupbearer - by interpreting his dream. Joseph then made one request of him: “But when all goes well with you, remember me and show me kindness; mention me to Pharaoh and get me out of this prison. I was forcibly carried off from the land of the Hebrews, and even here I have done nothing to deserve being put in a dungeon.” (Genesis 40:14-15)
 
As the story goes, Joseph’s interpretations were accurate and the cupbearer was granted freedom. “The chief cupbearer, however, did not remember Joseph; he forgot him.” (Genesis 40:23)
 
I can imagine the cupbearer seeing the light of day and not wanting to look back. He had escaped the confines of dungeon life, re-entered his service to Pharaoh and got busy enjoying freedom.
 
He forgot to remember.
 
I don’t want to be like the cupbearer. These days are rich and full, beyond anything I could have asked for or imagined a few years ago. Relationships nurture my soul; work stretches and rewards me; my physical being is strong and relatively pain-free. Such abundance.
 
How times change.
 
All I need to do is open journals from three years ago to find intense wrestling with pain and loss upon loss. Two years ago I wrote: “Journaling and writing posts have been a rich resource for recounting the goodness of God and the kindness of others, and I am grateful to have this record to return to. Life will take twists and turns, distracting and changing my focus as I move ahead out of these confines and perhaps even to work.”

Are you reflecting on the past to more fully appreciate the significance of the present? Do you regularly recount the goodness of God and His faithfulness? I want to, as I'm continuing to learn that remembering to remember keeps me grateful.
 
I thank God with every remembrance of you. (Philippians 1:3)
 
With love and gratitude,
Shelaine