06/17/2026
Forgetfulness
The other day I was caught off guard by one of my granddaughters. She was practicing some math during the Summer so it would be fresh to her when school starts back. She ask me what nine times seven is and at first I drew a blank. After some serious brain strain I came up with two thousand twenty one. Just kidding, sixty three was my well thought out and highly calculated answer.
When I was in school we all had to memorize the times tables which I did with struggle, but I did it. It really woke me up when I realized how much I had to work at an answer I should have quickly known.
One of my teachers once taught us, “remember you can forget, but don’t forget, you will not always remember.” Being I remembered this I must be doing something right. While I am grateful for all I do remember, I am concerned at how much I have forgotten over the years.
The reason I feel I have forgotten some things is because I did not practice them in my mind. Another reason would be I allowed unnecessary information to overlap what was needed or necessary. Then there is the overwhelming focus of the bad and painful things we seem to never forget that overshadow the good we should remember.
Of all the things I would hate to forget most would be God’s Word. It is for this reason the Scriptures tell us in Ps. 119:11, to hid God’s Word in our hearts. Josh. 1:8 says, to meditate on the Word day and night, meaning continually. Duet. 11:18 encourages us to bind God’s Word to our hearts and minds. We must continue reading, studying, meditating and memorizing God’s Word, lest we forget it.
The really great thing about remembering God’s Word is that we have His wonderful Holy Spirit to help us. He is our awesome Teacher who not only reveals what the Word says but helps us remember it. Believe me, all that I know and remember about God’s Word is due to the loving help of the Holy Spirit. Really, I not that smart on my own.
Thank God, the Holy Spirit also helps me remember other things as well, like nine times seven is sixty three and George Washington was our first president. And the really important stuff like don’t poke a grizzly bear with a tooth pick or pet an alligator at feeding time.
Focus on God’s Word and other important things in life. Don’t give place to the unnecessary stuff and especially Satan’s lies. Have the mind of Christ and you will know what you need to know, when you need to know it. Even if you have to come to the conclusion that ten times seven is seventy, subtract seven is sixty three.
Sincerely Yours, Hossfly.
