“And did you put the envelop in your pocket?” —George
“Yeah…yeah…maybe…maybe.” —Uncle Billy
In general, busyness [having too much to do] tends to be a part of life that requires some boundaries. During the holidays, busyness can feel somewhat overwhelming and difficult to carve out time to be fully present for the people we love. We may be trying to stay focused on cleaning, decorating, organizing, purchasing, baking, sending cards, and invitations, etc. We can get so much going, we focus on what is pressing and ‘forget’ to be responsible for attending to those things that are really important.
The biblical definition for ‘forgetting’ aligns with the word “forsake’ or ‘cease to keep in mind.’ God never forgets, but as humans we do. I have told people before, “There’s just so much room in this brain of mine for information and when it is overloaded I can easily forget even something important to me.” Then, there is this thing about getting “older” for which I choose not to focus upon, so we shall keep moving! lol!
In our lesson, today, from the movie, “It’s a Wonderful Life,” we reflect upon poor Uncle Billy and how he struggled trying to remember certain things. He would tie a string around his finger and then forget what the string represented. His heart was sweet, but distraction got the best of him. We saw it clearly when he forgot what happened to the eight thousand dollars he was going to deposit. I’ll refresh your memory!lol!
Billy was taking care of business—at the bank depositing money for Bailey Building and Loan Company—and when he saw Mr. Potter the busyness of boasting about Harry receiving the metal of honor distracted Billy from actually making the transaction. Billy forgot he put the money in a rolled up newspaper and left it on Potter’s lap as he went joyfully out the door. A humbling followed on the heels of that boast.
It is great when we can remember everything, but forgetting things from time to time is a universal human condition. There are many factors that contribute to forgetting: stress, multitasking, lack of sleep, aging, etc. When I was in seminary, I juggled way too many things and although I have a good memory, I was stressed thinking I would forget something important. Then, one day I read in Scripture where it is the work of the Spirit to help us remember what is most important—our time with God because he cares about every area of our lives.
So, I would like to remind you to spend time with the Lord, read a passage in Scripture or a devotion, and share with him through prayer the schedule and demands of your day. Then, ask God to help you keep your day in mind and manage it with a healthy balance and a victorious outcome.
OT Reading: Deuteronomy 4:31 NLT “For the Lord your God is a merciful God; he will not abandon you or destroy you or forget the solemn covenant he made with your ancestors.”
NT Reading: John 14:26 NLT “But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.”
Prayer: Lord, thank you for helping us remember the things that are most important and help us to set the proper boundaries that set us up for success. Sometimes, we just try to do too much and it gets us into trouble. Therefore, we are going to make time for the things that are most important beginning with you! In Jesus’ name. Amen.