Devotion Booklets for Seasons of the Church Year Advent-Christmas Devotional - 2017 - single page | Page 6

Short-Term Memory
Sunday, December 3rd
Jeremiah 31:34
When I was younger, one of my favorite games to play was Milton Bradley’s Memory. I grew up with three
older brothers, and there was no chance they would let me win with games like Candy Land or Chutes and
Ladders. Luckily, Memory was one of those games where I knew I had a chance. I would methodically study
the position of the cards, and thankfully my spatial memory worked to my advantage in this game. The
game of Memory is one of those games where short-term memory pays off.
Having a strong short-term is not always beneficial, though. A college student server in a restaurant may
be able to remember exact orders and modifications for a party of eight, but she may not want to
remember the shame associated with her last party. A high school student may be able to memorize facts
and dates for his upcoming History test, but he may not want remember the guilt associated with the
history on his internet browser. Our sins cause shame, and they cause guilt. They cause feelings of
worthlessness and regret.
Of all people who could have a strong short-term and long-term memory, God would be highest on that
list. We know God is omniscient, he is all-knowing. The Psalmist says he can perceive our thoughts from
afar. Before a word is on our lips, he knows it completely. We have nowhere to hide from his knowledge,
even though we often try.
But God is a God of compassion, love, and forgiveness. He is a God of undeserved grace and mercy. He has
every right to condemn us to an eternity of pain and suffering in hell, yet he chose to send his Son into the
world as our substitute, to suffer the pain we should suffer, and to die the death we deserve. Because of
what Jesus has done for us, the words in our text ring true. “For I will forgive their wickedness and will
remember their sins no more.” Our God who knows all chooses to forget our wickedness, to cast our sins
away since they were paid for in full. We are no longer bound by our regret, and God restores our broken
spirits.
Prayer: Merciful Father, we thank you for your love and compassion. We know we deserve your
punishment because of our daily sins and struggles of the flesh, but you do not disown us. You bring us
back into your presence and make us whole again. Continue to be with us and to bless us in our struggle
against our old Adam, and make us strong to do your will. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
Activity: Use a sheet of white paper or cardstock to create your own Bible Memory game. For the younger
crowd, write a promise from God on one card and draw a picture to match it on the other. For the wiser
crowd, match promises from God with passages from Scripture.
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