The 90s was a decade full of musical memories we all wish we could delete. One pop movement I’m ashamed to admit I participated in was one dominated by Irish four-piece The Corrs. And it gets worse, because my enjoyment of this saccharine schlock wasn’t even just a casual ‘sing-along with the radio’ sort of enjoyment; I really liked listening to everything these Celtic sirens released. What scarring has that left me with? Well, I’ve still got some of their album tracks stuck in my head to this day. Ouch.
On one of these ‘underground hits’ of theirs, Andrea acerbically wails to some ex-boyfriend of hers that the sins he’s committed against her are forgiven, but – and here’s the key clause – not forgotten. “Forgiven, not forgotten”.
But ever since someone decided to fill the Tower of London with thousands of little red glass flowers, the big idea has not been forgetting, it’s been remembering. Even threads has been keen to tell us that God remembers things about us, and it’s true. But what exactly is God remembering about me? I ask this because when I look back on what I’ve done with my life, there’s a lot of it I’m desperate to forget; and here’s the problem: I can’t.
These painful memories return to me while I’m sitting on the tube, or as I’m getting my haircut, or during a game of FIFA with my brothers. And these aren’t just Top 10 Embarrassing Moments, these are real sins. They disgust me, make me feel sick, the kind of memories that make me long for a time machine.
Remembering things is seen as a skill. A good memory is one of the most coveted gifts around. But here’s what I want to know, is anyone credited with the talent of forgetfulness? I sure wish I had it. We long for a photographic memory when it comes to exams and the like, but regarding my regrets, I really wish someone could wipe the memory card in my head.
What if I told you that God has that skill? What if I told you that when it comes the times I’ve broken God’s law, He is actually able to press that ‘delete all’ button? He says it Himself: “I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.” Jeremiah 31:34.
Picture yourself on your deathbed. By that time, the indelible yelps of an Irish girl-group will be the least of your problems. As you look back over your mistake-filled life, will you be able to say that the God you’ll soon meet has not only forgiven your sins, but that He’s forgotten them too?
We all need to experience what Jim Carrey might call the Eternal Sunshine of A Spotless Mind. This gift is up for grabs to those who ask God for it. It’s made possible by Jesus’ death and resurrection. So let me ask you…
Have you met this forgetful God?