From time to time I run into people who know me, and I cannot remember
them, or even their name. Trying to hide my ignorance, I listen for any hint of
who they are and how I know them. And it even gets more embarrassing when they
know some intimate details, and my mind still goes blank. Leading to a more
than once situation that I walked away not knowing who they were, and them not
knowing I didn’t know. From pride of not knowing to not wanting to hurt their
feelings by not knowing, I have become more honest, and brought my loss of
remembrance down to two questions, “what do you ride?” and “where do you go to
church?” Which should cover most of my social interactions of the last 40
years.....
But it seems it is not only an isolated personal event, for when bench
racing and someone is mentioned, and a blank is drawn, even down to the finest
detail may not help, or it may open the door to all about the person, except for
their name. “I’ll never forget good old what’s his name....what is his name?”
But in one case, not knowing the man’s name, but knowing all about him blessed
me, and his brother. We had met a man along the road when his Sporty broke
down. He had told me about a brother who was committing suicide by drinking. I
later visited him just before he died in the hospital and saw him saved. Later
when one of my inmates was released, he invited me over, showing me a picture of
his brother, who had died, right after a biker had led him to the Lord. I could
hardly contain myself as I said “that was me!” Only God could take a random
roadside stop, tie it to an inmate, whose brother was in the hospital near
death, and allow me to minister to him. Really all of them. It doesn’t stop
there, another story for another time, seems I cannot remember the woman’s name
connected to it...and so the story continues....
True Christians believe Jesus will return for us, an event called the
rapture. Remembered mostly in tough times, “Jesus why don’t you just come now
and end the misery,” forgetting he has left his spirit to be with us, he never
left us, just as he promised he wouldn’t. But it seems we don’t live like he
will return until we get selfish and wish it just for us. Now we often speak of
how it was for the early church, or how it was for the apostles having seen
Jesus. Did you ever wonder what they must have thought after seeing him ascend
into heaven? He had promised to send his spirit, but you cannot touch something
not physical. But we try anyway, to justify our faith. Also he said he would
return, how many times did he go away to the mountains to be alone, and always
came back. Was this another weekend gone, and after a few weeks would they
wonder “it’s been awhile, I wonder if he is coming back?” He was going to
prepare a place for them, and our own imagination can spin out of control here.
For eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor the mind imagined the things of the
kingdom to come. How many times had they even wondered “I hope he doesn’t
forget us!” Sound familiar?
Today many scoff at the promise of his return. They turn to other gods,
physical and emotional ones they can touch or feel. Turning their back on the
one they swore they would never forget. But he never forgets them, or us. He
tells us to encourage and build each other up until his return. A time and date
he doesn’t even know. He even confronts his apostles, when they wanted to quit
and fell asleep, “guys can’t you stay awake just one more hour?” So how are you
encouraging or building up another as he asks? Simply put, love someone. Let
the spirit guide you,for he knows the ways of the Lord, we don’t. I never could
have choreographed the above story, but God knew, and all who were involved in
it were encouraged, some to salvation, others to return to Jesus. And to spread
the gospel as they go.
Did you know God keeps a book of remembrance about you? Not that he
forgets, but to remind us in heaven of the little things we did that we
overlooked at the time or forgot. There will be no one forgotten in heaven, we
will know each other’s names, and be face to face with Jesus. Isn’t that our
blessed hope? So next time you forget someone’s name, know Jesus has not
forgotten yours. After my surgery, I ran into a man I knew in Albuquerque 35
years before. We looked at each other, “I know you,” and when I told him my
name, he said, “Yeah I remember you, we always wondered what happened to you.”
Maybe it is like the bumper sticker, “if you forget me you have lot nothing, if
you forget Jesus you have lost everything.”
Then there was another BMW rider named Jesse...but that’s another story.
He rode a blue R75/5....taught at the Indian school.....I wonder if he remembers
me?
love with compassion,
Mike
matthew25biker.blogspot.com