I can’t seem to remember what it was I forgot!

Alzheimer’s is a terrible, heartbreaking illness to which several of our family have succumbed. It’s heartbreaking not to be recognized by a loved one or able to share memories with them. However, through the darkness of this disease, a little light can shine and bring a smile. After our grandmother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, the doctors said to converse with her, normally, to provoke possible recall of her memory. One day, our sister Gerry asked her, “Do you recognize me?” She replied, “Yes.” Gerry then asked, “Can you tell me my name?” This time, no response. Gerry asked again, “What is my name?” Then came our grandmother’s priceless reply. She responded with, “Honey, don’t you even know who you are?”

 In our relationship with the Lord, we experience spiritual forgetfulness because we tend to forget who is the needy one. It is certainly not God! We tend to place a greater priority on our perceived needs rather than on God’s Preeminence in our lives to provide! We may truly have a need but fail to properly ask the Lord’s will to be done in its provision, rather than ours. Matthew 6:7-8 reminds us, “But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. 8 Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.”

 How quickly we fail to remember how gracious and merciful our Heavenly Father is to us. Lamentations 3:22-23 promises us, “It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. 23 They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.” David admonishes us in Psalm 103:2 that we should always, “Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:”

 Paul taught the brethren at Corinth to focus on the eternal rather than the temporal. Likewise, the Lord teaches us that He alone, not us, can clearly see our needs. The reason we can’t is found in 1 Corinthians 13:12 “For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.” God always desires only the best for us, His children, spiritually and physically. Unlike Alzheimer’s, our spiritual dementia is on us.

 Our firstborn sister, Florence, who didn’t like us calling her “our oldest sister,” was also afflicted with Alzheimer’s. It was a blessing though, because each visit with our precious sister, was like the first time. So, it should always be with God.  First, if we seek our Heavenly Father’s audience  every morning, all we have need of will follow. Matthew 6:33 promises, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”

 From My Heart

 Bro. John