Memory is one of those functions of the brain that is most taken for granted, until it begins to slip away. God gave us the awesome creation of the brain… a small computer in our head that does all kinds of incredible things day in and day out. Recall of past events is one of those incredible things our brain does.
Remembering can be good and bad. Some things are best forgotten. If you break your wife’s favorite dish, the marriage would be best served if that particular incident was not remembered, but forgotten. But some things are to be remembered because of the learning experience they provide, or because they contain warnings that would be best heeded. Deuteronomy 32:7 says “Remember the days of old, Consider the years of all generations. Ask your father, and he will inform you, Your elders, and they will tell you.”
Scripture also tell us to “remember our Creator” in Ecclesiastes, and to “remember His precepts” in Psalms. Remembering is a gift. It is beneficial and promotes the good.
Gun Turret No. 3 of the Arizona at the Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor. Look close and you will see the oil that is still leaking…Black Tears.
I got to thinking about these ideas of remembering this past Memorial Day. To have a “memorial” is to intentionally remember. My wife and I were blessed to visit good friends in Hawaii, on the island of Oahu when this past Memorial Day rolled around. It was a pretty cool place to be on that holiday. The island has several military bases, and of course it is also rich in WWII history. Visiting the Pearl Harbor Museum and the Arizona Memorial were some of the highlights of the trip. Remembering what happened on December 7, 1941 was sobering, as well as a call to vigilance.
During the morning hours of December 7th, 2403 lives were lost, 1,177 of those were on the Arizona alone. The days and hours leading up to the attack were replete with careless attitudes, apathy and misinformation. That day at Pearl Harbor we stumbled in our vigilance and it cost us much.
While on Oahu, we stayed mostly on the Marine Corps Base Hawaii and on Ford Island. I was able to set up and paint several small pieces, both on and off the bases. Kaneohe Bay was one of my favorites as seen from the Marine Base, and the Northwest shore was another place I really liked. But then again, perhaps the beautiful beaches on Bellows Air Station were my favorite. Too many places that were absolutely stunning; each declaring God’s creative glory.
7 x 12 Oil on panel painted on location on Bellows Air Station on Oahu, looking at Rabbit Island just off Kaupo Beach.
Pochade box at Bellows Air Station, Oahu, looking towards Rabbit island
When I remember Pearl Harbor, I can’t help but see the parallels between that tragedy that took place in 1941 and the spiritual tragedy that is taking place in our nation now. Our nation slumbers as it declines morally, our institution of marriage crumbles and families weaken and no longer provide the protection God intended. Meanwhile, we sit on the beaches of the past, staring out at what we believe to be a clam, peaceful ocean. We are clueless of the tsunami that is gaining speed as it moves towards all we know and hold dear.
One last thought about remembering from an old book that contains the “Light of Life”:
‘So remember what you have received and heard; and keep it, and repent. Therefore if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come to you. Revelation 3:3
