Thursday
But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins. – 2 Peter 1:9
Every time I read this verse I am struck by the word forgotten. Peter says that if we are not growing in our faith, it might be that we have forgotten something of critical importance.
It is true that human beings are naturally forgetful (at least I am). Just last week, my wife told me that we were out of salt in our water softener. I told her that I would pick some up on my way home, but I forgot. The next day she reminded me and I said I would be sure to stop and get some before I got home, but…I forgot again. Day three came and she reminded me twice about how much we needed the softener salt. I reminded her that I was going from church to my daughter’s volleyball game, then to my son’s football game, but I assured her that I would get the salt before I got home that evening. Can you guess what happened? Yes, it’s true, I forgot again. But, on day five I finally went out at 9:00 p.m. and got the salt!
We have all had experiences like this, where we let important dates or details slip our minds. However, Peter is talking about a different kind of forgetfulness. He is talking about a spiritual forgetfulness that is in each one of us, a forgetfulness of soul. Because of sin, we all have a tendency to forget who God is and what he has done for us and we drift toward fear, doubt and self-reliance.
We are in constant need of reminder that we have been forgiven by Christ and that the power of sin & death in our lives has been conquered through the cross!
We might call this the discipline of remembering;
Remembering who God is.
Remembering that God can be trusted.
Remembering that God’s word has power.
Remembering the price he paid for us.
Remembering who we are because of Christ.
Remembering that we can do nothing apart from him.
(the list goes on and on)
Peter also says that when we forget these things we are “nearsighted and blind”.
The word he uses for nearsighted is the Greek word muopazo, it is the source of the English word "myopia”. Myopia is a condition of the eye in which parallel rays are focused in front of the retina. Nearsighted people focus right in front of them, but the further out they look, the worse their vision becomes. Distant things are not in focus. That is the spiritual condition that Peter is referring to. When we forget the Cross, we become focused on the immediate difficulty or struggle, and we cannot see the big picture.
I like this image because it reminds me that as a Christ-follower, I must live with an eternal perspective. This does not mean that you are immune to daily struggles or trials if you are a Christian, but it does mean that you do not despair because of them. The Apostle Paul puts this well…
For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
– 2 Corinthians 4:17-18
Paul is actually practicing the discipline of remembering in this verse!
It is as if he says to us, “Remember that this life is not all that there is! Remember that there is a greater story and a greater glory that the current issue you are facing!”
So, why don’t you take a few moments before going on about your day to practice the discipline of remembering yourself?
Questions for reflection:
In what area of your life are you spiritually nearsighted right now?
What have forgotten or lost sight of about the character of God?
What have you forgotten or lost sight of about your identity in Christ?
Heavenly Father I praise you that while I may sometimes lose sight of you, you never forget about me. Help me everyday to remember that you are always in control and that I am lost without you. May I never forget the Cross, and the price you paid for my sin. In Jesus name – Amen.
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5 comments:
Now if I can just remember The Discipline of Remembering:)
I don't know if forgotten is the best word to use here, I would have used ignored.
As is the case of citing one verse out of a section, one needs to understand the whole context, in this case 2 Peter 1:3-9. These words stand out in 1:3-4 "..given..knowledge..promises.." Verses 1:5-7 exhort us to add goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness and love to our faith.
Either one has no knowledge of what has been given or has been exposed to it but chooses to ignore it. To be exposed and forget it I find to be a stretch.
Tom,
You are right about the need for context in understanding Scripture and the danger of citing just a single verse. That, by the way, is why this entire week of devotions is focused on the 2 Peter passage!
Perhaps you would have used the word "ignore", but forgotten is the word that the apostle Peter himself used in 1:9!
He is talking about our propensity to drift away from (not necessarily willfully ignore) the central realities of our faith. Of course he does not mean if we were asked the question, we would not be able to remember or recall the promises of God. But we do not live with those promises and truths constantly in view - this is what it means to "forget" spiritually.
Good dialogue!
Pastor Jeff
These are definitions of forget.
"a: to lose the remembrance of : be unable to think of or recall [I forget his name] b obsolete : [to cease from doing]
b: to treat with inattention or disregard [forgot their old friends]
c: to disregard intentionally : overlook —usually used in the imperative [I shouldn't have said that, so just forget it] b : to give up hope for or expectation of —usually used in the imperative [as for prompt service, forget it]"
There is a degree of intensity. As you have said, Jeff, Peter was referring the the passive use. Use it or lose it!
I chose c: because I was aware of this for 40 years and chose to ignore it.
Thank you for reminding me "to remember."
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