He heals the brokenhearted
and binds up their wounds. Psalm 147:3, TLV
Don’t Forget. As I age, my memory doesn’t seem to retain all those bits of information. Given my family’s history, that can be a bit disconcerting. Still, those strong memories are there, especially when something triggers them.
The Mind’s Grasp of Memories
Since my mom was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease, I’m learning that emotion plays an pivotal role in memories. Sometimes mom only remembers part of the memory, but fixates on the strongest feelings — like fear or sadness or anger. In our nightly calls, if she gets lost in the emotions, she forgets the positive outcomes.
If I was there for the event or she told me about it, then I can help her to remember that despite however sad or cruel, there was a positive outcome. Even if the outcome was that GOD is still in control and to pray about the situation. During the course of the conversation, I might have to repeat this scenario a half dozen times until the conversation ends on a positive note. Then we end with the LORD’s Prayer. Sometimes she can connect the “forgive us, as we forgive others” with the situation.
Remembering
In today’s verse, scholars believe David wrote this chapter, probably because of the elegant praise. However other scholars believe another author wrote these later psalms (Psalms 146-150) as worship and praise for the return of the Jewish people to Israel after the seventy year exile in Babylon. No matter who wrote these psalms, it is clear the author wanted the people to rejoice and remember GOD’s goodness and deliverance.
Halleluyah!
How good it is to sing praises to our God.
How pleasant and fitting is praise. (vs. 1, TLV)
Great is our Lord and mighty in power—
His understanding is infinite! (vs. 5, TLV)
Over the decades, my mom would tell the same praiseworthy stories repeatedly. In the last years, sometimes she would repeatedly recount them in the same conversation. This was frustrating, but I realized today that because she’s told the stories/memories so many times I can remember details — even though I wasn’t there — that she cannot.
What am I saying?
Like my mom, I can get lost in the emotions of what is going on around me. Fear, anger, confusion, sadness. I forget that what my Heavenly Father wants to do is heal my broken heart and bind my wounds. The thing is, we need to ask Him to do this. Look up from the problems and emotions, to Him.
When we’re in the midst of the turmoil and chaos, we can forget to ask. We can forget the goodness and grace and mercy of our Father. Forget that He longs to comfort us.
Mom’s repeated tellings of her memories over the years, helps me help her. Praise and worship, especially through the psalms help us remember the goodness of GOD.
Sing to ADONAI [the LORD] with thanksgiving.
Sing praises to our God on the harp. (vs. 7, TLV)
What if we stay in an attitude of praise and gratitude? Begin the day with praise and thanksgiving? Linger in that sacred place for as long as we can. Then when the storms and tempests of our life crash in, our spirits will remember to praise the LORD and seek Him.
We may need repeated reminders to seek the LORD for our comfort, like I remind my mom, but the outcome is we reconnect with the only One we can trust to truly heal our broken hearts and bind our wounds.
Don’t Forget
Mom’s fear of forgetting is real. But the very memories she told me — over and over again — growing up, are the very words of comfort I can remind her of. Point her back to her Heavenly Father.
So, if we worship, praise, and have a grateful heart over and over again, when those trials come, the Holy Spirit will remind us of GOD’s goodness. Then we can remember to seek Him.
