"Never be afraid when God brings back the past. Let memory have its way. It is a minister of God with its rebuke and chastisement and sorrow. God will turn the "might have been" into a wonderful culture for the future."
Rebuke, chastisement and sorrow....memories that we wish we did not have or at least that they had played out another way. I can relate to this, with plenty of regrets that I had, or had not, done something, that I had not put my whole effort into a job or activity, or that I had not been involved in something. God has used these memories in the past to turn me around in some areas. Even though I have lived for almost 75 years, I really want to do a better job in my remaining few, and these chastisements are a part of that realization.
But there are other memories also. Memories of raising kids, of being in wonderful places with family and friends and even of experiencing God in various situations and ways. Good memories all, and great to have in my memory bank.
God told the Israelites to pile up stones by the river bank so they could tell their children when they asked about the heap. That way the story of God's working in their nation's life could be passed down to the next generation. Our memories are our stones also, sometimes written down, sometimes in pictures, sometimes just oral history, but always for the purpose of reminding ourselves and our families of what God has done, and continues to do with us and through us.
Chambers is right when he talks about the memories that show "what might have been", but there are also some good ones that show "what was", and those can be a blessing.
God, show me how to use all of my memories, both the good and the bad, to change me and bless others around me.
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