June 6, 1944. December 7, 1941. September 11, 2001. July 4, 1776. June 19, 1865. These dates and a host of others stand in significance to a number of people. And whether by calendar or on stone or written in the hearts of people, significant dates are not quickly forgotten even through the passage of time. That is, unless…
For within every one of us, our lives and our minds establish priorities. There are events, people, places, and things that remain fresh and closely connected to our hearts while others are set back further and further to only (maybe) be rushed back by a reminder. Why? With the passage of time comes the dulling effect that life lived now is more important than life lived back then…even when others sacrificed, yea even sacrificed so that there would even be a tomorrow for us to even be born and to have.
Rudyard Kipling in a Christian poem called Recessional included these pointed words, “God of our fathers, known of old, Lord of our far-flung battle line, beneath whose awful hand we hold dominion over palm and pine—Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet, lest we forget—lest we forget!” This poem is lifted from Deuteronomy 4:7-9 AMP, “For what great nation is there who has a god so near to them as the Lord our God is to us in all things for which we call upon Him? And what large and important nation has statutes and ordinances so upright and just as all this law which I set before you today? Only take heed, and guard your life diligently, lest you forget the things which your eyes have seen and lest they depart from your [mind and] heart all the days of your life. Teach them to your children and your children’s children”. The fear was that the heart of people would grow cold, forgetful, ungrateful, disconnected from God who first had promises for their lives to deliver His people to bless them with the land of promise and then to desire to be their God in every aspect. And yet the Bible, sadly, reveals that people did indeed forget. Things that were once held on were let go. That lands, buildings, dreams, nations eventually become, through passage of time and treated with lesser importance, a monument or headstone to identify “so lies a…” without acknowledgement that a person (to speak of this specifically) ever lived and meant anything other than a date and a name.
Two recent significant dates are etched to my heart: October 26, 2020 and January 20, 2023. These dates were the days when my grandmother and grandfather stepped from this life and into life everlasting. And each one of us have dates that mean something to us individually. And for me, this was not just the passing of a person whom I barely knew or rarely cared for. These were people who watched me grow, got married, and held my kids. These were people who spoke into my life—directly and indirectly—that have left their mark that I have tried to pass on whatever I remember to not just my children but onto others as well.
But there are two reasons why I do. One is so that someone whom I care for knows and maybe remembers. This is a proud or happy reason. But the second reason is more sobering and concerning: lest I forget. A time ago I wrote about a poor phrase often said, time heals all wounds and sadly time doesn’t heal anything. Either time passes on and we grow in bitterness, regret, or pain OR we become consumed with our lives that people, dates, things are all measured on scales of value and importance with some who held importance are eventually pushed down or pushed out. And with that, we forget. Houses may change, land may change, but what passed-on loved ones ought to never be just a name and a date.
For me, my grandparents were not just a family member like some of my others who’ve passed on and have become not much more than a memory (that is bad enough). My grandparents enriched my life in immeasurable ways. And whether it was a spouse, a friend, an aunt, a cousin, a parent, a grandparent, each one of us holds immense value and appreciation for who they are/were. So how can they be honored? Recalling stories help. But to make a lasting impact, we need to continue a legacy—if they hopefully had a positive one—they continued or started (or wanted to). One of many (speaking of my grandparents) is to appreciate smaller or simpler things and times. My grandparents were never wealthy. They were not in poverty in their latter years, but they certainly couldn’t afford or didn’t have access to many of the other things and certainly not the modern conveniences that we so easily take for granted. But for them who walked behind mules, walked to school, drove tractors, gardened, planted, got home to eat with family for supper…how they lived was sufficient and more than adequate for them. It is gratitude in what one has and contentment to accept that. Does that easily lessen the pain in my heart for missing them? No, but at least I choose to not forget them.
To God, are we grateful? Are we content? What is it that we pass onto our future generations or others? Is it a car? Money? An iPhone? A PlayStation? Some photo albums that will collect dust on a shelf or cast off into a box somewhere? A memento that eventually is lost? Will our children know? Will our children’s children know and not just memory or mental knowledge? To know, yes but to know what? That God provides. God heals. God forgives. God delivers. God loves. That God is real and desires to be intimately involved in our lives and our lives intimately involved with God. That we involve God in our lives. That we are to reciprocate God by loving, forgiving, giving, serving, etc. And that we are grateful and content in all things, areas, and calling/Calling. Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet, lest we forget—lest we forget!”