Memories Forgotten

 Many things have expiration dates. Like milk. I learned this lesson the hard way. I never concerned myself  with expiration dates on milk cartons. Not until the day I got a swig of sour milk. Totally disgusting. Made my stomach turn. I check the expiration date now and even smell before I pour. Several times the milk has soured BEFORE the expiration date. You will notice on labels, "Best used by this date." This is true for all sorts of things. 

People have expiration dates too. As sad as it is, people die. They expire. What is even sadder, is that many people get forgotten over time. People who once made significant contributions to society. So let's do a brief history test. I will name three people. See if you recall their achievements WITHOUT USING YOUR PHONE! 

Here we go. Edith Wilson. Earnest Lawrence. Lewis Latimer. 

How did you do? Did you get all of them? Two? One? 

Edith Wilson was the second wife and First Lady for President Woodrow Wilson. Earnest Lawrence was a physicist who made significant contributions to the creation of the atom bomb. He did not get the same recognition as Robert Oppenheimer who was better at delivering memorable quotes. Last but not least, Lewis Latimer was hired by Alexander Graham Bell to draft the patent for the telephone. Latimer was so efficient he got the patent turned in just hours before a competitor turned one in. He was hired for a competing company against Thomas Edison working with the light bulb. He perfected the light bulb to burn for days and not just hours. Eventually Edison hired Latimer to come work for him, and he put electric lights in the cities of Philadelphia, New York, and Montreal. 

Most people have forgotten all three of these people. I confess that I never even heard of Edith Wilson or Earnest Lawrence. I had at least heard the name Lewis Latimer but could have not told anything he did. 

Our contributions can be quickly forgotten soon after we expire. We are reminded of this truth in [Ecclesiastes 9:5] It is that much more important that we do things that will matter in eternity. Things that will last beyond us. Through technology I hope to leave some preaching and teaching that lasts long after I am gone. Through books and these blogs I hope to leave a legacy to pass onto others long after my life expires. Life is fleeting. 

It makes me stop and think that maybe I should enjoy the simple things in life more instead of constantly striving to achieve. One day all my body of work will be forgotten. Should Jesus tarry, there could come a day when nobody will remain alive who ever knew me. It keeps me grounded and humble. 

The one comforting thought in all of this is that God remembers. God does not forget His children. God does not forget what things we did for Him that will be rewarded in eternity. May we invest our lives in what really makes an eternal difference and not strive for things that will perish. 

How Do You Describe God

 There are many ways we could describe God. We could say He is loving, merciful, gracious, kind, patient, and mighty. We could also say He is just, a righteous judge, a champion warrior, a defender of the oppressed and an executioner for those who do not know Christ as Savior. All of those would be true. I have something else in mind. Something that probably would not make the top ten descriptions on your list. Maybe not even the top 20. 

God is mysterious. I mean He is difficult to understand, impossible at certain times, and impossible to understand at other times. Many times we are baffled by Him and His ways. We think He is going to act in a certain prescribed way and He does something completely different. We believe He will come through at a certain time on a certain date, and God shows up late by our standards but always on time by His standards. 

He mysteriously heals one person while leaving another to suffer until Heaven. He provides for one need but leaves others to live in lack. He offers the good news to many while some have never heard. He opens doors we thought He would shut and shuts doors we thought He would open. 

God is mysterious. He works in mysterious ways. William Cowper wrote a song titled God Moves In A Mysterious Way a few centuries ago. Providentially Cowper suffered with incurable depression nearly all his adult life, and tried to commit suicide on more than one occasion. He never found lasting relief this side of eternity. Yet, he wrote some beautiful poems and songs that still touch the souls of suffering people. 

We love to ask God our why questions. I personally think those do not offend God. but He is not obligated to answer them. Many times we would not understand anyway. His thoughts and ways are so much higher than ours. We would never understand even if He did pull back the curtain and allow us to see what He is  doing. One of the great things about Heaven is it will all make sense. 

Down here there is a lot more trusting. A lot more faith required. A lot more belief even when we cannot see the outcome. It is daily trusting and hoping when all things around look confusing. God is many times mysterious. I could describe Him in many other ways and deservedly so. Today I am thinking about His mysterious nature. Even in the mystery He is still faithful. Mysteriously faithful. [Is 55:8-9]