Forgotten

Have you ever felt forgotten? I did so as a young child. My entire family, including cousins, all went hiking in some small mountains. We came to a very narrow pass with a very sharp drop off. My older cousins helped each lady across and each cousin across until they came to me. I stood at the end of  the line and my heart sunk when they all took up without me.  I was probably between eight and ten. For some reason they all took off walking before I got helped across. Either they did not see me or they thought I was old enough to cross by myself.

Fear gripped me. I hugged that mountain with my back like a magnet to medal. I inched forward barely shuffling my feet. I don't recall any other event scaring me like that one episode from my childhood. I felt forgotten.

There are others who feel forgotten. Great grandparents and grandparents. Widows and widowers. Orphans. Retired pastors and pastor's wives. Aged teachers. Each of these lives wondering why they are forgotten and forsaken. Why nobody remembers them or takes time to check on them. Retirement homes are filled with such people.

Joseph from the Old Testament got falsely accused of sexual assault from Potiphar's wife who trumped up all the whole charges. She had seduced Joseph day after day and he resisted her advances day after day. One day she grabbed his garment to seduce him but Joseph ran away leaving his garment behind. She made up a story and Joseph ended up in prison.

It was bad enough to be sold into slavery by his brothers. On top of that to be falsely accused and thrown in prison only added insult to injury. As fate would have it two officials from Pharaoh's court were thrown into the same prison. Both had dreams and the following morning they did not what the dreams meant. Joseph told them God interpreted dreams. When both relayed their dreams God gave Joseph insight. He then pleaded with them when they got out to remember him. He told them his whole story.

Read what happened.

Genesis 40:23 (NKJV)
23  Yet the chief butler did not remember Joseph, but forgot him.

We learn in Genesis 41:1 that the chief butler forgot all about Joseph for two whole years. Some translations put it for two full years. 730 days to be forgotten. You know for the first several days Joseph held out hope. He must have prayed the butler would remember him. He didn't. Not for two long whole years. He forgot him. He did not remember. Joseph never crossed his mind.

God didn't forget Joseph. He had a plan. In those two long years God kept everything right on course. He did not lag behind for even a moment. Everything progressed just as God planned. When the time was right Pharaoh had two dreams. Nobody knew what they meant. The butler suddenly remembered Joseph. Pharaoh summoned Joseph to interpret the dreams. With that Joseph went from prison to the palace over night. He got promoted to second in command of the whole country.

God does not forget His people even when others do. He keeps an eye on you. His ears are attentive to the prayers you offer. He works behind the scenes in ways you may not be aware. He reassures of His presence in several ways. You are not forgotten beloved. While others forget, you are on His mind even as I write this. He knows your thoughts. He knows your name. He knows your fears. He knows your every need. He remembers. You are not forgotten. I hope you take comfort in that truth. You are neither forgotten nor forsaken by your Heavenly Father. Not now. Not ever.