VOL. III, #069, 6/14/13 OUR MEMORY AND OUR MISSION “Memory, all alone in the moonlight, I can smile at the old days, I was beautiful then. I remember the time I knew what happiness was, Let the memory live again.” Often mistakenly called, “Memories,” the song “Memory” was sung in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s production of Cats. The song was sung by the character Grizabella, a one-time glamour cat who is now a shell of her former self. The song is a nostalgic remembrance of her glorious past. “Memory” is the climax of the musical, and by far, its most popular and well-known song. There’s probably nothing more enjoyable for people my age and older than to sit with old friends and share the memories of things past. I know for a fact that when my old police buddies and I get together, it isn’t long before everyone starts telling what we refer to as “war stories,” and everyone chimes in with their own remembrances and interpretations. I spent most of my growing up years in central Florida … Orlando to be exact. Today, Orlando, thanks primarily to Disney, is an international vacation destination. Most everyone knows where it is, and it has grown and prospered under the umbrella of Disney World, Sea World, Universal, and others. But, It wasn’t’ always that way. There was a time when Orlando was a small, relatively unknown, quiet, peaceful town, and a great place to live. Apparently, others agreed with me. There is a site on Face book called, “Growing up in Orlando before Disney.” The site receives thousands of hits per day with people reminiscing about growing up in the days of old Orlando. I have to admit that I enjoy reliving those memories too. It was a fun, exciting time. Virginia Woolf said, “I can only note that the past is beautiful because one never realizes an emotion at the time. It expands later, and thus we don’t have complete emotions about the present, only about the past.” I believe it is healthy to remember and relive the experiences of our past lives. In fact, one of my friends has a quote that goes, “Life is not about the things you did; it is all about the stories you can tell about the things you did.” But life is not just about the past. As much fun as it may be to remember, our mission remains to focus upon the present and the future, and the need to remain close to God. In the book of Job, the Bible warns, “The memory of him perishes from the earth, and he has no name among the renowned; he is driven from light into darkness, and chased out of the world. He has neither son nor posterity among his people, nor any remaining in his dwellings. Those in the west are astonished at his day, as those in the east are frightened. Surely such are the dwellings of the wicked, and this is the place of him who does not know God.” (Job 18: 17-21, NKJV). But in Hebrews that warning turns to promise: “But recall the former days in which, after you were illuminated, you endured a great struggle with sufferings … knowing that you have a better and an enduring possession for yourselves in Heaven. Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that after you had done the will of God, you may receive the promise. (Hebrews 10: 32-36 in part, NKJV). For the Christian, the word “recall” carries the idea of carefully thinking back and reconstructing, as opposed to merely remembering. Our salvation experience, even though it occurred in the past, is still a part of us … and will result in just reward if we continue to live it, not just remember it. Building the Kingdom and Blessings, Brother Jim.
Posted on: Fri, 14 Jun 2013 00:20:33 +0000
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