“That would make a good magazine article!” Diane was triumphant as we drove up to Scotland for a short holiday with some of our children and grandchildren. A week later, we returned to Aedan’s Baptism and getting back to work. Magazine Articles passed from my mind until Doreen said ‘Where is it?’ I asked Diane, ‘You remember that Magazine Article idea you had?’ ‘No’ ‘Oh’ ‘I thought you’d written it down.’ ‘I was driving’ ‘Oh! – You know, I hate having a memory like this; I can never remember anything!’ ‘Nor can I; I think we’re getting old!’

I’ve been Rector 15 years, and before that I was Vicar of Disley. Over that time I’ve written over 240 magazine articles, and sometimes I’m really looking for inspiration. Holidays become a time for incidents which lead to a train of thought. Diane has been brilliant, noting ideas, making me write them down, although the children rapidly became wary (‘Careful, it’ll appear in Dad’s magazine article’) or mercenary (‘How much to be able to quote me, Dad?’) But on this occasion, a good idea wasn’t written down, and I even forgot I was supposed to be writing the article, so by the time we tried memory recovery, we had forgotten it all.

I shared the opening paragraphs with Jannis, and she immediately could see where I was heading: We may forget, but God doesn’t forget. All through the Old Testament, God pauses in mid-judgement, and although the people undoubtedly had strayed and placed themselves under judgement, the text charmingly presents God as ‘remembering his covenant’ or ‘remembering his word’ or even ‘remembering his great love’. In each case, he allows his love and grace to overcome judgement. By the New Testament, this loving commitment and remembering is recognised as part of his character. God remembers not only his love and covenant; he remembers all we strive to do for him. Hebrews 6.10 reminds us “God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people.” Note, however, that what he remembers is the love you have shown him by helping others.

Jesus reiterates this point – in his Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25.14-30), the servant who strives is commended, “Well done, good and faithful servant!” (Matt 25.23), and in the following Parable of the Sheep and Goats, (Matt 25.31-46) the righteous are warmly invited to take their eternal inheritance by the King who lists all the things they did for him, to the surprise of the righteous. They ask when they helped the King, and he replies, “I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.” Everything you have: reputation, possessions, wealth will all pass away, but here is the great joy: everything done for Christ is done for eternity; you will forever hear as God remembers, “Well done, good and faithful servant!”

But Jannis was not entirely correct. We rejoice in a God who remembers, but also in a God who forgets. The only reason we can enjoy heaven, and hear our little works lauded, is because Jesus died on the cross for us, and as a result, God promises, “I will ... remember their sins no more.” (Hebrews 8.12) After all, imagine an eternity where your sins are never forgotten... all the wrong things that quietly trouble you now remembered for ever, brought up continually and completely. We need God to forget our sins and remember our works, and he does this in his son Jesus. If we are not to spend an eternity where God remembers our sins, we need to remember God in Christ. Remembering Jesus as our Saviour also means remembering him as Lord: ‘How can I serve you today, Lord?’ Such service cannot be confined to Sunday attendance at Church to worship him – but that would be a good place to start!

I pray that you may remember the God who has known you from eternity, and turning to him as Saviour and Lord, may be remembered by him for eternity, and remembered for good

Your servant in the Lord Jesus Christ, Simon Cox.