Typically the week between Christmas and New Years are a week of reflection and vision casting for me.
So right now I am in reflection mode reading my past blogs since 2008.
As I get closer to the new year I will shift into vision mode.
I love reading about ancient Greek and Roman mythology.
January is named after the Roman god Janus who was unusual because he had two faces.
The mythical god had two faces, one looking forward and one looking backward, which symbolised that he had the gift to see both past and future.
“January”
The two faces of January and the two faced God “Janis”
This I recall to my mind, Therefore I have hope. 22 Through the LORD’s mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. 23 They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness. – Lamentations 3:21-23
Luke 24:8
“Then they remembered His words.”
James 1:26 “we look into a mirror and forget what we look like.”
THREE SIMPLE FORGET ME NOTS GOD WANT YOU TO REMEMBER .
1. REMEMBER YOU ARE REDEEMED.
Duet 15:15 Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and the Lord your God redeemed you.
2. REMEMBER LOTS WIFE.
Luke 17 32 Remember Lot’s wife!
33 Whoever tries to keep their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life will preserve it.
3. REMEMBER HE DOESN’T REMEMBER.
Hebrews 8:12 For I will forgive their wickedness
and will remember their sins no more.
Improving one’s memory is not all that difficult. Most of us simply don’t expend the time or effort required. “The true art of memory,” wrote an English historian, “is the art of attention.” We can improve our memories by simply putting our minds to it and by following a few simple rules: 1) Remember to remember. Telling yourself that you want to remember this or that fact and concentrating on it will improve your memory immediately. We remember what we WANT to remember. 2) Sharpen your observation. Pay close attention to what you see and hear. Use images. Shut your eyes and try to SEE it. Notice details. really LOOK at things. Few people actually do. 3) Practice recall. Forgetting is most rapid soon after learning. It helps, therefore, to make a deliberate effort to repeat and review immediately. Repetition will help fix the fact or image in our minds. 4) Concentrate. Eliminate distractions. The mind is at its best when it is centered on one thing at a time. Avoid such things as fatigue, noise, and competing visual images during the time you are trying to learn.
Sometimes we as Christians need to stop along life’s road and look back. Although it might have been winding and steep, we can see how God directed us by His faithfulness. Here’s how F.E. Marsh described what the Christian can see when he looks back:
The deliverances the Lord has wrought (Deut. 5:15).
The way He has led (Deut. 8:2)
The blessings He has bestowed (Deut. 32:7-12).
The victories He has won (Deut. ll:2-7).
The encouragements He has given (Josh. 23:14).
When we face difficulties, we sometimes forget God’s past faithfulness. We see only the detours and the dangerous path. But look back and you will also see the joy of victory, the challenge of the climb, and the presence of your traveling Companion who has promised never to leave you nor forsake you.
I am Looking forward to looking back and forward this week.
Reflecting on 14 – looking forward to 15.
Steve
stevelummer.com 