Sometimes We Forget

“Sometimes We Forget”

By Zach Wood

1 Timothy 1:15-16 NIV

Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst.  But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life.

If you’re anything like, you forget things often.  It doesn’t seem to matter what age you are, you forget things all through life.  It is easy to be forgetful.  We tend to forget the simplest things in life and then we do a smack on the forehead when we come to recall what we’ve forgotten and we say, “I cannot believe I forgot that!”  You wouldn’t be a human being if you didn’t forget things.

Sometimes we forget important dates.  Sometimes we forget promises that we’ve made to others.  Sometimes we forget to pickup the kids after an activity if we’ve had a crazy day at work.  Sometimes we forget we’ve left stuff in the yard and rain comes to soak it down. 

We often forget, sadly, how destined we are to death if Jesus Christ hadn’t come to give His life for us.  We get so wrapped up in life that we often forget we cannot do anything without Him.  We tend to think so much of ourselves by all the things we can do on our own and in our own strength and we forget how destitute we really are when we take life on our own.  If we really think about it, as Paul describes here, we are the worst sinners.  Paul didn’t think highly of himself.  Even though he became one of the greatest influences in the NT and in the church, He was easily reminded that he was the worst of sinners.

Sometimes, we certainly need a reality check to remember and realize how far off from God we really are and how desperately we need Him.  Jesus came to save us because we are filthy.  We have turned away from Him and gone our own way so many times.  But we often tend to just go through life thinking we are pretty awesome.  We get pretty full of ourselves and think we’re doing pretty good.  God looks at the prideful heart and sees a sinner who desperately still needs Him.  He sees through our beaming attitude of arrogance and knows that we really need Him more than ever.

God is certainly patient with us.  He wants us to completely rely on Him and most of all to never forget how very much we need Him.  Paul considered himself the worst of sinners.  How do we see ourselves?  Do we think more highly of ourselves than we ought?  Or do we see ourselves as filthy rags that need His cleansing?  We are nothing without Him.  That’s blunt, I know, but it’s the truth.  Jesus saves us from our life of disgust and we need to be reminded of the wonderful cleansing He has given us. 

Sometimes we forget.