Today’s post is actually a day late for my normal weekly pattern. I sat down last evening and spent about an hour writing a blog post on a given subject. As I was preparing to upload it, I found myself somewhat troubled by the nagging suspicion that what I had written sounded vaguely familiar.
Thankfully, I decided to go to the search bar on my web page and do a search. Low and behold, I had written and posted a very similar blog on the same subject about three years ago. I am glad I took the time to check things out. Otherwise, I would have virtually repeated myself.
I hate to admit it; but I do seem to be having more and more of these “Senior Moments” these days. My only consolation, I suppose, is that the time will eventually come when I will no longer be bothered by a bad memory as, all things having been forgotten, virtually everything will be fresh and new! And who knows? Maybe, just maybe, that is what Heaven will be all about!
After all, in the midst of a description of Heaven (in the 21st chapter of the New Testament Book of Revelation, verses 1- 5), the Apostle John does say,
Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.
And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!”
In light of this, could it be that so much of our pain and tears are related to the memories of the past – memories of our mistakes, our shortcomings, and our failures? If so, then perhaps, just perhaps, one of the greatest blessings of Heaven will be to remember them no more! What a blessing that would be.
In conclusion, I did remember a wonderful little story about failing memories. If my own memory serves me correctly, it goes like this…
An 80 year old husband and wife are having problems remembering things, so they decide to go to their doctor to get checked out to make sure nothing was wrong with them. When they arrive at the doctor's, they explain to the doctor about the problems they are having with their memory.
After checking the couple out, the doctor tells them that they are physically okay, but might want to start writing things down and make notes to help them remember things. The couple thanks the doctor and leaves.
Later that night while watching TV, the old man gets up from his chair and his wife asks, "Where are you going?"
He replies, "To the kitchen."
She asks, "Will you get me a bowl of ice cream?"
He replies, "Sure."
She then asks him, "Don't you think you should write it down so you can remember it?"
He says, "No, I can remember that."
She then says, "Well, I also would like some strawberries on top. You had better write that down cause I know you'll forget that."
He says, "I can remember that: you want a bowl of ice cream with strawberries."
She replies, "Well, I also would like whip cream on top. I know you will forget that so you better write it down."
With irritation in his voice, he says, "I don't need to write that down; I can remember that." He then fumes into the kitchen.
After about 20 minutes, he returns from the kitchen and hands her a plate of bacon and eggs.
She stares at the plate for a moment, and says, "You forgot my toast."*
*SOURCE: http://www.ahajokes.com/age28.html. (At least, I think this is where it came from!)
SCRIPTURE SOURCE: http://biblehub.com/niv/revelation/21.htm.
Thankfully, I decided to go to the search bar on my web page and do a search. Low and behold, I had written and posted a very similar blog on the same subject about three years ago. I am glad I took the time to check things out. Otherwise, I would have virtually repeated myself.
I hate to admit it; but I do seem to be having more and more of these “Senior Moments” these days. My only consolation, I suppose, is that the time will eventually come when I will no longer be bothered by a bad memory as, all things having been forgotten, virtually everything will be fresh and new! And who knows? Maybe, just maybe, that is what Heaven will be all about!
After all, in the midst of a description of Heaven (in the 21st chapter of the New Testament Book of Revelation, verses 1- 5), the Apostle John does say,
Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.
And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!”
In light of this, could it be that so much of our pain and tears are related to the memories of the past – memories of our mistakes, our shortcomings, and our failures? If so, then perhaps, just perhaps, one of the greatest blessings of Heaven will be to remember them no more! What a blessing that would be.
In conclusion, I did remember a wonderful little story about failing memories. If my own memory serves me correctly, it goes like this…
An 80 year old husband and wife are having problems remembering things, so they decide to go to their doctor to get checked out to make sure nothing was wrong with them. When they arrive at the doctor's, they explain to the doctor about the problems they are having with their memory.
After checking the couple out, the doctor tells them that they are physically okay, but might want to start writing things down and make notes to help them remember things. The couple thanks the doctor and leaves.
Later that night while watching TV, the old man gets up from his chair and his wife asks, "Where are you going?"
He replies, "To the kitchen."
She asks, "Will you get me a bowl of ice cream?"
He replies, "Sure."
She then asks him, "Don't you think you should write it down so you can remember it?"
He says, "No, I can remember that."
She then says, "Well, I also would like some strawberries on top. You had better write that down cause I know you'll forget that."
He says, "I can remember that: you want a bowl of ice cream with strawberries."
She replies, "Well, I also would like whip cream on top. I know you will forget that so you better write it down."
With irritation in his voice, he says, "I don't need to write that down; I can remember that." He then fumes into the kitchen.
After about 20 minutes, he returns from the kitchen and hands her a plate of bacon and eggs.
She stares at the plate for a moment, and says, "You forgot my toast."*
*SOURCE: http://www.ahajokes.com/age28.html. (At least, I think this is where it came from!)
SCRIPTURE SOURCE: http://biblehub.com/niv/revelation/21.htm.