They say that memory loss is the second thing to happen to you as you get older.

So what is the first? Ummm, I forgot!

We all have forgotten important appointments or a friend’s birthday; haven’t we? Forgetting your keys or where you put your new sunglasses are common ways we forget…at any age! I don’t feel so bad when my 25-year-old son leaves his house keys on my kitchen counter only to remember them when he gets to his front door.

Experts tell us that memory loss is perfectly normal—especially as we age. That’s encouraging! As encouraging as telling someone who is drifting down the river that they are in a leaky boat! But don’t feel so bad; there are others in the same boat!

But there are essential things that we remember—life and death things. We are warned over and over about the forgetfulness of the Israelites in the Old Testament. We see the disciples forgetting the miracle of the loaves and fishes. In Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus says to His boys, “Do you not yet perceive? Do you not remember the five loaves for the five thousand and how many baskets you gathered? (Now, how do you forget that miracle just a few days after it happened?!) Knowing our propensity to forget the Lord and all He has done for us, how can we safeguard our memories?

Just a few suggestions to help you remember:

1) Remember your testimony. Remember how the Lord so graciously opened your eyes and saved you! Worship him for rescuing you from the pit of hell and giving you the hope of heaven.

2) Remember the scriptures and promises in the Word of God. Take time to memorize Bible passages. Every week in our Virtue study, we select a memory verse. I write it on a sticky note and put it on my bathroom mirror to read often, until I know it by heart.

3) Remember by journaling or noting in your Bible or diary the ways God has answered prayers. I came across a note in my devotional journal from last year, when I received some bad news. This year, I could see how God answered my prayers and turned that difficult time into a time of rejoicing!  I remembered!

4) Remember the Lord in the wonderful time of taking the Lord’s Supper. God has given us the best way to remember: by taking these humble tangible elements, holding them in our hands—broken and crushed for us like Jesus was—and then treasuring His sacrifice and longing for the day we will see Him in His glory.