Ever since a girl in my class at school was on The Big Breakfast I have been a big Chris Evans fan.
The minute he took over the breakfast reigns from Wogan on Radio 2, I embraced my pending middle age-ness and made the switch from 97-99 FM to 88-91 FM. To be honest, despite not yet being 30, the signs of middle age are all there… I prefer Radio 2 to the noise on Radio 1, I prefer Question Time to 10 O’clock Live, I would definitely prefer to stay in than go out, and I’ve stopped dreaming that I might one day become a professional rugby league player and now dream that my son might be instead.
Chris Evans making the switch to Radio 2 has made it a whole lot easier to embrace my middle age state of mind. He tweeted the other day that “middle age rocks”, I’m inclined to agree. My wife repeatedly reminds me that I am not actually middle-aged yet and that I wasn’t even born when Chris Evans started his professional radio career.
In one way or another my mornings have included Chris Evans since the 90s. One of his regular features on his current breakfast show is ‘Don’t forget to remember’. People text in reminders to loved ones not to forget particular everyday things that Chris and the team read out. It’s pretty mundane stuff, but I like the premise.
We so often need reminding of things because we are so often quick to forget. Without constant reminders I am quick to forget the blessings of God in my life, I am quick to forget the richness of my life, I am quick to forget the good things I so often take for granted. I can so quickly focus on what I don’t have rather than what I do.
One of the devil’s chief strategies is to cause us to forget the blessings and promises of God and to take our eyes off Him. To be honest, he’s pretty good at it. When things are going well in my life, I can quickly forget God and think it’s all about me. And when things are not going well, I so frequently forget His faithfulness and His promises and try and rely on my own strength.
I need a daily reminder: “Don’t forget to remember… God!”
Deuteronomy 8:11 says: “Be careful that you do not forget the Lord your God.” I am reminded of a Brenton Brown song, I Will Remember You. While I am not a particular fan of the song, it has great lyrics:
“I will not forget all your benefits, even when the storms surround my soul, how you comfort me, heal all my diseases, how you lift me up on eagles’ wings, how you’ve chosen and adopted me. Orphaned by my sin grace has let me in and never once have you abandoned me.”
That is something worth remembering.
My daily morning with Chris Evans, in a slightly weird and roundabout way, is a daily provocation. Don’t forget to remember the Lord your God. Thanks Chris, keep up the good work.