They shall abundantly utter the memory of Thy great goodness

Psalm 145:7

They shall abundantly utter the memory of thy great goodness, and shall sing of thy righteousness.

It is an exceedingly beneficial exercise to use the memory. There is something improving on the mind when the memory is activated and frequently utilized. It is a most terrible thing to see a person whose memory has gone like dew is gone at noon. It is a sad thing to behold. It excites sympathy in our hearts. For memory is a fine thing! It is a blessed thing! It is a gift from God! Now think for just a moment, my friend, what your life would be like without it. You would constantly forget where you were when waking up each day. You would forget the routine of the day. You would never perform basic hygiene, never know how to prepare your meals, and constantly be unable to communicate as you could not remember your language! Furthermore, the precious people about you would be as foreigners and strangers. But alas, some have come to this! It is the ultimate degradation of the human mind. But thanks be to God, most of us can remember these things on a daily basis. And, without thinking about it or recognizing it, we continually benefit from a mind that remembers daily tasks, activities, and functions.

But memory can also be a scourge. For you see, many refuse to forget that which they should choose to forget. They remember that person that has hurt them. They have never forgotten the cross word spoken many a decade ago. They have not forgotten the awful day many years ago when a relationship was wounded. They have never forgotten the assailments and malice of others. They are forged into a prison of unforgiveness, bitterness, and grudge. May God deliver us from such a prison! For the memory can hold us captive as a prisoner in our own soul! But how do we break free? How do we escape such slavery?

There is a way! For see! If we use our memory properly, it will not be used improperly. If we remember the things we should remember, we will soon forget the things we should forget. For we are, as God’s Word says, to abundantly utter the memory of His great goodness! Remember His goodness! Meditate on it! Think of it! Remind yourself of His great goodness! What has He done for you in the past? What is He doing now? Abundantly utter it! Mentally speak to yourself about the Lord and His past goodness! Utter it to others. Tell your family and friends about the great greatness and faithfulness of the Lord! Do not speak of the terrors of the past. Forget them! Don’t talk of them! Talk of His righteousness! Talk of His goodness! Talk of His love!

My fellow brother or sister, this morning you must leave off the past. You must put it behind you like a filthy rag. You must eschew it as though it were a hateful garment. It must be forgotten. For the Lord forgets our iniquities. He will remember them no more. He will cast them behind His back. Instead, remember His great goodness that He has bestowed upon you throughout your life, and abundantly utter it! The more you utter His goodness, the less time there will be to utter the sorrows of the past. Fill your mind and mouth with the memory of His great goodness. And sing of His righteousness! For the Lord is righteous in all His ways, and holy in all His works. My friend, today, will you not abundantly utter the memory of His great goodness?

“Dear Father in Heaven, we confess that our minds tend to forget the things we ought to remember and remember the things we ought to forget. We choose this day to forget the perils and discouragements and insults of the past, and we look to the wonderful memory of Thy great goodness and mercy and faithfulness! For you have been good! You have been faithful! You have been merciful and kind! You have not dealt with as after our sins or rewarded us according to our iniquities. You have been gracious unto us and have blessed us supremely. And therefore, we choose to think on those things, and with your help, we will utter them in the presence of others, that they too may be reminded of your goodness to them. We beseech Thee for Thy help in this. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.”