2 Samuel 5:1-3 / Colossians 1:11-20 / Luke 23:35-43
The brain is without doubt one of the most important organs in the human being. Not just for human beings, but for most creatures as well.
But as much as the brain is an important organ in a human person, it does not mean that men and women think alike.
We should know by now that men and women have different thoughts about the same thing. They may be looking for a car, and men will look at the engine and the techy stuff. The women on the other hand will look at the colour, the shape and the feel of the seats, etc.
So men’s thoughts are certainly different from women’s thoughts. And also men’s memory is certainly different from women’s memory.
It is said that women always worry about the things that men forget, and men always worry about the things that women remember. (Albert Einstein).
Oh yes, men tend to forget about birthdays (but not their own), wedding anniversaries, their children’s age and other important dates and events.
Women on the other hand, remember things for even as long as 10, 20, 30 or 40 years ago.
An elderly gentleman was having dinner with an elderly couple, and when the wife went to the kitchen, he asked his friend, “Even after being married for 70 years, you still call your wife ‘honey’, ‘sweetheart’, ‘darling’. What’s the secret?”
His friend replied, “To tell you the truth, I forgot her name about 10 years ago, and I am too scared to ask her!”
Yes, men forget too many things, and women remember too many things.
But what about Jesus then? He is God but He is also a man. So does He forget a lot of things, like other men do?
But since Jesus is God, and God created women, as well as their brains and memories, does He remember a lot of things like women do?
Whatever it might be, we can say that Jesus chooses what to remember and what not to remember.
Jesus chooses not to remember our sins when we ask Him for forgiveness. There is this story that a religious nun told a priest about her visions and conversations with Jesus. So the priest said to her, “The next time when Jesus appears to you, ask Him what was my greatest sin.”
A week later, the nun came to see the priest again, and so he asked her, “Did you ask Jesus what was my greatest sin?” The nun replied, “Oh yes, I did ask Jesus, and He told me that He does not remember it because He forgave you that sin.”
That was a smart answer. But that is also the truth. Jesus does not remember our sins whenever we ask for forgiveness.
And that is one thing that we must believe about Jesus the King of mercy and forgiveness. And when we say that we forgive, we are not expected to forget, but at the same time, we choose not to remember the pain and the hurt. When we choose not to remember that, then healing can begin.
So Jesus chooses not to remember our sins because He wants to forgive us and heal us with His mercy.
But Jesus also remembers. He remembers those who turn to Him to ask for mercy and forgiveness.
In the gospel, the good thief defended the innocence of Jesus. And he also made this astonishing request: Jesus, remember me when You come into Your Kingdom.
It was an astonishing request because the inscription on the cross that read “This is the King of the Jews” was meant to mock Jesus.
But the good thief not only defended the innocence of Jesus, but recognised Him as a King when he said: Jesus, remember me, when you come into your kingdom.
And Jesus replied with: Indeed, I promise you, today you will be with me in paradise.
The good thief had done wrong, and he admitted it, but Jesus chose not to remember his sins. Rather, He chose to remember His promise to that good thief to bring him to paradise.
The good thief implored Jesus to remember him, and Jesus did.
The good thief actually taught us how to pray to Jesus, by asking Him to remember.
Jesus, the King of love and mercy will remember us when we ask Him to.
Jesus will not want to remember us for our sins. But He will remember us when we turn to Him with a simple prayer like how the good thief prayed: Jesus, remember me, when You come into Your kingdom.