A Book of Remembrance

Last Saturday we buried a sweet, dear woman of God. She lived with Alzheimer's disease the latter part of her life. I loved watching how her husband and children cared for her and doted on her. She would come to church on Sunday nights with her husband and she would do her best to follow along and pay attention. They usually sat behind me so I was privy to hear what she would whisper to her beloved. She would usually say, "What book was that?" What chapter did he say?" She was still eager to learn about the Holy Word of God.

So when the Lord lead me to the book of Malachi a few days before she passed away, I paid special attention to a particular passage. Malachi 3: 16-17 (NASB) says, " Then those who feared the Lord spoke to one another, and the LORD gave attention and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who esteem His name. "They will be Mine," says the LORD of hosts, "on the day I prepare My own possession, and I will spare them as a man spares his own son who serves him."

The Lord is speaking here and He says that those who fear the Lord, (another version says "reverence my name"), spoke to one another. This is saying that if you reverence the Lord and you are talking to one another about Him, He has someone writing these things down in front of Him. This is a book of remembrance. It says "the LORD gave attention and heard it", or "He hearkens to hear it", as if He is stooping down, to hear everything that you are saying in honor of His name. Lastly, the scripture says, "They will be Mine," (KJV) says," they are my jewels". Oh my, I have to tell you that this was like taking some kind of tonic for my heart! It just made my heart leap for joy to read those words!

I am in awe that the God of the universe cares about my little conversation with another Christian. When we hallow His name He has it written down in a book of remembrance. He also calls me one of His jewels! This is almost more than I can fathom! How could anyone not love a God like this?

So, to tie this all together, Betty Lambert could not remember a lot of things in her latter days, but God had it all written down for her. When we can't remember, He does, and that's such a comfort to me. He knows that Betty once talked about Him and how much she loved Him. Even when she couldn't remember, God kept these memories for her and stored it in a beloved book of remembrance. But now that Betty is in heaven... She remembers everything and she is seeing her Saviour face to face. The Lord may have said something like this, "Welcome home my sweet jewel, I remember you and love you and that's the most important thing." "Your mind is fully restored and whole again. "Enter into the joy of your salvation."