9.19.25 ~ Remember to Forget

Good morning!

I recently had a very special conversation with a friend. It was a life lesson conversation with all types of wonderful wisdom being ping-ponged back and forth. Love! Relationship! Business! Encouragement! Offenses! Overcoming! And how to move on from the past..just to highlight a few. Needless to say, the conversation lasted more than 'five' minutes :-) And with the traditional date of Yom Teruah/Day of Trumpets and the initiation of the fall feast season, I thought I'd share with you some of these highlights...in less than five minutes :-)

Life feels contradictory at times and at times, confusing at best. Scripture, in its real way of portraying life, can manifest itself the same way. A classic example is Joseph's contradictory statement of naming his first son, Manasseh (He has caused me to forget (Gen. 41:51).

Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh:“For God has made me forget all my toil and all my father’s house.” (Gen. 41:51)

Will naming a son that reminds him of forgetting his past cause him to forget his past rejection? Favoritism? Sibling Rivalry? Anguish? Abandonment? Enslavement? False Accusations? Every time Joseph sees this son or calls his name, he will remember what the name means and recall all the troubles that he wants to forget.  It’s like telling you not to think of that 'big mistake' you made so long ago.

Names imply things. Think of your heroes and you get warm and fuzzy. Think of your arch enemies and well...you know! Names speak of character and behavior. New names are indications of new responsibilities as well as privileges.

When your name is spoken what do people think of? When you glance at yourself in the mirror what comes to your mind? Are you holding on to something you wish you could forget? Does it haunt you like a bad dream?

Skeletons in the closet weren't meant to be locked up! And they were never meant to be carted around in a glass box wearing your clothes for people to see and admire, or throw tomatoes at. They were meant to be buried six feet under the ground. Headstones are fine, but that which is dead in the past, needs to be left there. Our focus should be on that which is living (Rev. 3:4).

With Yom Teruah, the 5th holiday on God's prophetic calendar, let's connect it with the 5th assembly in the book of Revelation, which is connected to the 5th quality of the Holy Spirit, power/gevurah.

“Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God.Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you.. You have a few names even in Sardis who have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with Me in white, for they are worthy. (Rev. 3:4)

When Joseph names his son something that will remind him of his past, it's a constant reminder of the grace of God that delivered him from all the negativity and gobbledygook from his family history.

In our conversation, I was asked, 'how do you move on from haunting past mistakes'? I replied, 'action'! There are three axioms in my life: 1. Never forget where you've been (Manasseh). 2. Always take inventory where you are. And, 3. Always remember where you're going.;a place of fruitfulness (Ephraim).

You don't need to forget your past. But, none of us should ever project our past into the present or the future (1 Cor. 13: 4-7). We need to constantly evaluate our present condition in order to have measurable markers of growth. Most of all, never forget, it was the grace of God that caused you to move past your past. If people want to keep reminding you of your past, do them a favor...move on!

Happy Preparation day and Shabbat shalom!

Alan