OLD PICTURES

 

Friday, September 9, 2022

 

OLD PICTURES

 

2 Tim 1:3-5

3 I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience, that without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day;

4 Greatly desiring to see thee, being mindful of thy tears, that I may be filled with joy; 5 When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also. KJV

 

          We are sure that Paul didn’t have a shoebox of pictures that prompted his memory of young Timothy. In fact, these days, neither do we. We have thousands of old pictures on our phone. I have over two thousand of them! Notwithstanding, Paul was feeling a bit nostalgic as he remembered Timothy and his family. Three times he uses some form of a Greek word, mneia, that is literally translated “a recital.”

 

            For some reason, I began the morning scrolling through those two thousand pictures on my phone. I was looking for one particular shot but was soon drawn into the entire collection. When I had finished, I knew that my perception of things had changed. What I thought were painful and difficult moments had transformed into treasured memories and trophies of grace. Difficult people had become treasured friends. Hard work had become great victories.

 

Precious memories, unseen angels

Sent from somewhere to my soul

How they linger, ever near me

And the sacred past unfolds

 

Precious memories, how they linger

How they ever flood my soul

In the stillness, of the midnight

Precious sacred scenes unfold

 

Dear Lord, thank you for those difficult, even exhausting times because they have become precious memories. AMEN