To Remember or Not to Remember

 

“Do not remember the former things, Nor consider the things of old. - Isaiah 43:18

Remember the former things of old, For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me, - Isaiah 46:9

The other day while reading through a Bible study workbook I read Isaiah 46:9. The similarity of wording made me immediately think of Isaiah 43:18. In chapter 43 He's telling me not to remember the former things and three chapters later He's telling me to remember the former things. Lets take a look at the context of each of these.

“Do not remember the former things, Nor consider the things of old.

Behold, I will do a new thing, Now it shall spring forth; Shall you not know it?

I will even make a road in the wilderness And rivers in the desert.

Isaiah 43:18-19

Remember the former things of old,

For I am God, and there is no other;

I am God, and there is none like Me,

Declaring the end from the beginning,

And from ancient times things that are not yet done,

Saying, ‘My counsel shall stand,

And I will do all My pleasure,’

Calling a bird of prey from the east,

The man who executes My counsel, from a far country.

Indeed I have spoken it;

I will also bring it to pass.

I have purposed it;

I will also do it.

Isaiah 46:9-11

In the first passage He's telling us to not remember the former things because He's going to do a new thing. I've found the older I get the harder it is to do a "new thing" because there's so much more "not to remember"! The former things (my experience) is hard to forget because it's very chatty. It's right there telling me that new things are untested, risky, potentially laden with unforeseen problems and an overall disruption to the efficient and predictable flow of our lives! Remember when... [disaster, difficulty, suffering, etc.] happened? 

In the second passage He's telling us to remember the former things, but not just any former things, the things He has done. All in all to remember who He is and who He has been to us.

- I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me,

- My counsel shall stand,

- I will do all My pleasure,’

- I have spoken it; I will also bring it to pass. I have purposed it; I will also do it.

In the first passage, Isaiah 43:18 tells us to not remember the things of "old". In Strong's the word is qaḏmōnî - an adjective that means: ancient, they that went before, east, (thing of) old.

In the second passage Isaiah 46:9 tells us to remember the things of "old". In Strong's the word isʿôlām - a noun that means: properly, concealed, i.e. the vanishing point; generally, time out of mind (past or future), i.e. (practically) eternity; frequentatively, adverbial (especially with prepositional prefix) always:—alway(-s), ancient (time), any more, continuance, eternal, ever(-lasting, -more, of old), lasting, long (time), (of) old (time), perpetual, at any time, (beginning of the) world (+ without end). 

I find it interesting that the "old" things we are to remember are eternal things, things that will last, that have no end. Sounds like Someone I know. 

The eternal God is your refuge,

And underneath are the everlasting arms;

He will thrust out the enemy from before you,

And will say, ‘Destroy!’

Deuteronomy 33:27

Now I don't know if you're like me, but I tend to remember the old things I should not remember and forget the old things I should remember. Why can't I just forget my experiences? 

In Merriam-Websters dictionary Forget means: to lose the remembrance of : be unable to think of or recall.

Perfect! That's what I want! But what about the things I can't forget? It says at the end of Jeremiah 31:34 For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.”

In Merriam-Websters dictionary Remember means: to bring to mind or think of again. 

So to not remember is to not bring to mind, to not think of again. It's a choice. The Lord chooses to not remember our sin when we ask for His forgiveness. And that same power that enables Him to not remember our sin can empower us when we choose to not remember the things we can't seem to forget. But remember now, it's not just a matter of not remembering we also must choose to remember His faithfulness of old, because it also assures of who He will be in the future...

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. - Hebrews 13:8

Dear Father, please empower me to not remember the former things, nor consider the things of old. But to remember the things of old - who You have been, the things You have done and all that You are. I choose to set my heart on You and fix my gaze on You, keep me, I pray. In Jesus Christ' name, amen.