S5 E9 - Alzheimer's & Forgiveness

I recently had a conversation with a friend who helps to run a memory care facility. She told me that while some days are very hard for residents, the blessing of such a difficult disease is that the next day they have no memory of what happened before that made them so miserable or angry. Each day is a reset, a new day. 

Forgiveness works much the same way, doesn't it? When God forgives us, that's it. It's done with, it's over, and his mercies are new each and every day. He will not be angry forever - because when God forgives us, he removes our sin entirely as far as the east is from the west. 

#SetYourMindAbovePodcast

Transcript

What if I told you that God could be seen in the most ordinary things every day? 

What if I told you that every day, ordinary events could teach us extraordinary eternal truths? Would you believe me? 

 Welcome back to season 5 of the Set Your Mind Above Podcast! My name is BJ Sipe, and I am a Christian, a preacher, a husband, and a father. And I’m excited to share a few moments together with you learning some important lessons from the simplest things. Let’s grow together! 

There are certain medical conditions that in some form or fashion have touched each one of us in our lives. Be it ourselves, a family member, or simply someone that we know and love – all of us have been impacted by things like cancer, heart conditions, or in the case of today’s podcast – Alzheimer’s. I had the chance to sit down and visit about this with a relatively new friend this past week, who helps to operate a local memory care facility. When a family member struggles with dementia, particularly Alzheimer’s, it can be extraordinarily challenging for everyone. It’s so difficult to watch someone’s mind go, and before you know it the person that knew you better than anyone else does not even recognize who you are anymore. Of course, they know who you are, as they can often recall memories and talk about you, but they sometimes no longer recognize that you are in fact that person they are talking about. I know this all too well, as my grandmother on my dad’s side had Alzheimer’s, and then both of my mother’s parents ended up struggling with different levels of dementia that corresponded with Parkinson’s as they aged. I’ve watched how hard it was on my parents, aunts and uncles and other family members as they cared for those that they loved. To be perfectly honest, I’m not sure I have ever thought to look for any redeeming qualities behind such a difficult disease. That’s what brings us to this conversation I was engaged in with my new friend Sarah. She shared difficulties they sometimes face with residents in general on account of their memory loss, and how some days can be very hard for everyone involved – staff and resident alike. But then she shared something I had never considered before. She said, “Some days are really hard for the residents. But there is a silver lining behind the hard days – because by the very next day, they’ve forgotten all about it. They’re not mad about whatever transpired the day before, because they have no memory of it. Every day really is a reset and brand-new day.” I smiled across the table, and picking up my coffee I said to her, “You know, I think you may have just given me something really important to think about for the rest of the week.” And she did. 

A total reset, where whatever has happened the day before is long forgotten, and each day is a brand-new day and a brand-new opportunity. You know what that sounds an awful lot like? Forgiveness. Speaking through the prophet Isaiah, we read the following in chapter 43:25, “I am the one, I sweep away your transgressions for my own sake and remember your sins no more.” What powerful language that is given to us regarding the forgiveness of God! For the sake of his own name, he sweeps away our transgression and remembers our sins no more. What does that mean? You’ve probably heard the term, “forgive and forget” many times in your life, no doubt. And while on the surface that may seem to be what this passage is suggesting, I would remind us of the fact that God is omniscient. God possesses all knowledge, and therefore for him to not be able to recall something to his memory would be contrary to his very nature. So, what does it mean then that the Lord says he will remember our sins no more? 

Let’s take a look at Psalm 103, the very psalm from which we derive the popular hymn “10,000 Reasons”. This is what the psalmist David has to say, “The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in faithful love. He will not always accuse us or be angry forever. He has not dealt with us as our sins deserve or repaid us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his faithful love toward those who fear him. As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him.” (vv. 8-13) 

God’s forgiveness is one of the most powerful demonstrations of his mercy and his lovingkindness towards man. We are sinful people, deserving of death on account of our sin and rebellion against his good and holy name. And yet in spite of this fact, God is slow to anger and abounding in love towards those who fear him. To the repentant heart who mourns their sin and comes to God asking for his mercy, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us. And when God forgives us, that sin no longer stands against us! Look at the text: it says that God will not accuse us or be angry forever – why? Because when God forgives you, there is nothing left to accuse you of and therefore be angry over! As Paul would say in Colossians 3:13-14, “And when you were dead in trespasses and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, he made you alive with him and forgave us all our trespasses. He erased the certificate of debt, with its obligations, that was against us and opposed to us, and has taken it away by nailing it to the cross.” In the context, Paul is speaking of our baptism, and what is accomplished through our faith by the power of God in this act. Using the same language of accusation and debt, Paul says that he erased the certificate of debt, along with its obligations, that stood against us. Sin brings death, but when God forgives us of our sin, we are completely absolved from it. While in this life many times we still must deal with the natural consequences of our sins, as far as our standing before God is concerned, when God forgives you, it’s over. Just as a memory loss patient does not retain anger from an event the day before, so God by his loving mercy does not retain anger for our past sins he has forgiven – they’re gone. 

The language of David should solidify this in our minds. As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him. Just how far is the East from the West? That’s a pretty impossible question to answer, isn’t it? It’s indefinite – there is no distance you can give to measure such an incredible length. David poetically ensures our hearts that when God forgives you, that sin is gone forever. God will not continue to retain a record of wrongs he has forgiven to hold against you. He does not offer reconciliation and then resend it without cause, going back on his word. No, with the Lord, forgiveness truly is a reset – a brand-new day and a brand-new opportunity for us to walk in the light and walk worthy of the calling to which we’ve been called. Maybe you’ve made some terrible mistakes as of late. Maybe the guilt of sin you’ve kept concealed is weighing down on you. Tomorrow can be a new day – repent and come to the Lord for his forgiveness. 

Let’s conclude with the text of Lamentation 3:22-24, “Because of the Lord’s faithful love we do not perish, for his mercies never end. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness! I say, “The Lord is my portion, therefore I will put my hope in him.”

This has been the Set Your Mind Above Podcast, season 5 episode 9 – and I’m so thankful that we had this time to grow together! A new episode is dropped every Friday, so be sure to tune in next week.  Also, if you’re able to, go ahead and like and subscribe to the podcast, give us a good rating or most importantly share it with someone else – it would help to reach others that I never could alone.  And more than anything, always remember the following: know that I love you, that God loves you, and may we all each and every day set our minds above.