I know that we've all heard that phrase. It's a phrase that means "when something isn't right in front of me, or I'm not focused on it, I completely disregard or forget about it." It becomes a convenient excuse many times.
I'm sure we have all had moments where we are preparing a meal, and as we get to the very end, we realize that we are missing a very key component. This happened to us just a few months back. We were preparing a meal and realized that we didn't have butter for our baked potatoes. I don't know what you put on your baked potatoes, but at most homes, butter is a necessity. My wife, Samantha, looked at me and said, "I guess you are going to have to go to the store to get butter."
I hopped in my car, plugged in my phone, selected the right tunes for my trip to the store, and I was on my way. (Side note: music choice is essential when running errands.)
As soon as I walked in the store, I was drawn to the display of all of the new Valentines candy. So naturally, I picked up a bag of Reese's Hearts. As I walked further into the store, I instantly remembered that I was also running low on soda, so I made a quick detour to the soda section. As I made my way to the cashier, I vaguely remembered that there was something else I was supposed to pick up.
I thought, and I thought, and I thought...to no avail. So, I did what any husband should do in situations like that: I admitted defeat, and called my wife. Being the woman of grace that she is, she answered my request for what I had forgotten to pick up with, "Well, we are having baked potatoes tonight," with an air of expected realization in her voice.
"Butter!" I triumphantly declared to everyone in the soda section of the store.
Samantha didn't tell me what we needed, she prompted me to remember. She knew me better than I knew myself, and she knew that by prompting me, I would remember exactly what it was that I needed to pick up at the store.
In John chapter 14, Jesus tells us that the Holy Spirit does the same thing for us. Jesus says that the Holy Spirit "will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you." (John 14:26)
The Greek word for "remind" is hypomēnsei - or "under remembrance" in Greek. In English, this word means "remembered because prompted." Jesus tells us that there are times when we will need to be reminded of His commands and how to live as Jesus followers in this world.
"Out of sight, out of mind" is no longer a valid excuse for those who have found life in Christ. We have the Holy Spirit to remind us what living like Christ in this world looks like. That is a huge relief. In this world full of distractions, God knows I need all the help I can get. So he gives me The Helper, the Holy Spirit, to remind me of what living like his son looks like. Admittedly, I don't do it perfectly, but I am happy to say that I am doing it progressively. It's such a joy to know that each day I am reminded of his grace, His love for me, and that His commands are not burdensome. (I John 5:3)
Listen to "Yet Not I But Through Christ In Me" by City Alight.
Jeremy DeGroot is Lead Pastor at FBC Siloam Springs, a husband, daddy, and musician. You can contact him via email at [email protected] or reach out on Facebook.