My husband and I have a favorite restaurant we enjoy visiting for breakfast. It’s a local place and their food is so good. We drive a little further to get there. We wait a little longer to sit down to breakfast. But if we aren’t in a hurry, it is worth the wait.

Somewhere along the line, we heard that restaurant menus have more germs and bacteria on them than anything else in a restaurant. So after ordering our food, we head into wash our hands.

At this particular restaurant, you might find me going to the restroom on more than one occasion. I seem to be drawn to that little room at the back of the hallway. Not because I need to use the facilities, but because they have the best smelling deodorizer.

I asked on one visit and was told the scent is harvest apple. Well that seemed to make sense. You see, I was reminded of earlier periods in my life. Of heading to the apple orchards and picking apples. Of driving through the Adirondack Mountains to view the beauty of autumn. Of the scent of apples (in any shape or form) baking.

Yes, I am reminded of harvest and apples and autumn when I walk into that bathroom.

Isn’t it interesting how our minds work that way? We see something and we’re reminded of a place. We smell something and we’re reminded of a person. We hear something and we’re reminded of an object.

We make connections. We make associations.

And guess what? God created us that way. God wanted us to remember…remember Him. God puts people, places, and things in front of us daily so that we would be reminded of Him.

1 Chronicles 16:12 (NIV) tells us to “Remember the wonders he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he pronounced.” As we see His creation daily, we are to remember Him.

Psalm 63:6 (NIV) says, “On my bed I remember you; I think of you through the watches of the night.” When we hear the chime of a clock through the night, we are to think of God.

Isaiah 46:8 (NIV) says, “Remember this, fix it in mind, take it to heart, you rebels.” What are we to remember? That God is God. There is no other like Him. There are none like Him.

But the wonderful thing is that as God asks us to remember Him, He won’t remember our sins. Each time we sin, He isn’t reminded of our past sin.

Jeremiah 31:34 (NIV) says, “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.” God wanted us to remember this one, so He repeated again in Hebrews 8:12.

2 Corinthians 5:19a (NIV) reminds us, “God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them.” God isn’t keeping tally. He isn’t keeping a book of records, because God loves us. Because God is love!

1 Corinthians 13:5b (NIV) repeats the idea. “[Love] keeps no record of wrongs.”

And if you still would like some proof of this concept, let’s look at Psalm 103:12 (NIV). “As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.” He will not be reminded of our past. He will not remember our sin.

I don’t know about you, but I thank God daily that my past is in the past. I thank God daily that my sins from today (after repentance) will not be remembered tomorrow.

I don’t know about you, but I think remembering God throughout my day is a good trade off. I’d gladly think of God than think of my past. I’d gladly think of God than think of a temptation in front of me. I’d gladly think of God just because.

What reminds you of God? How do you remember Him throughout your day? I pray that you are reminded of His grace, His peace, His love, His comfort, His joy today. Because I can guarantee, He is thinking of you!

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

Donna

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