Thursday, 29 April 2021
If I forget God…
Dorothy Teoh

John 6: 39-40
“ And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day. ”

“If I forget God, will God forget me?”

Recently, I attended a webinar titled “Ageing and the Church: Theological and Pastoral Perspectives”. One of the speakers shared that his late father, who had suffered from Alzheimer’s for over 10 years, asked him this very poignant question one day.

He also shared that his father’s cognitive functions declined to a point where he could only remember the Sunday School song, “Jesus loves me this I know” and would sing it repeatedly in the last few years before he passed away. (This is why the Sunday School ministry is important, added Rev Lim Kar Yong, the speaker; the other speaker was Rev Tan Soo Inn, PBC’s former pastor.)

What Rev Lim shared would resonate to some extent with anyone who has had to care for aging parents or in-laws, or those who have relatives or friends suffering from dementia. For the record, “Dementia is a general term for a decline in mental ability severe enough to interfere with daily life. Alzheimer’s is the most common cause of dementia.” (Alzheimer’s Association, US)

According to a World Bank report, Malaysia transitioned into an aging society in 2020, with more than 7 per cent of the population aged 65 and above. That is expected to double to 14 per cent by 2044 and by 2056, one in five Malaysians will be 65 and older.

The fact that Malaysia is an aging society has implications for the Church and its ministries, even for something as mundane as toilets with doors wide enough to accommodate wheelchairs, or making sure to include a hymn or two during worship services (for more on this, watch the recording of the webinar on YouTube).

The biggest known risk factor for Alzheimer’s is increasing age, but the disease is not a normal part of aging, says the US Alzheimer’s Association. Still, as we get older, our memory is not as sharp as before. My mother, who could rattle off the house phone numbers of my aunt and god-sister in Melaka even into her early-80s (when I myself could not remember) would say to me with a tinge of sadness when I wanted to call them, “I can’t remember anymore.”

Losing our memory is not just a frightening prospect but something that may cause us to grieve while we are still able to recognise that it is happening, the way we may grieve our loss of productivity, independence and mobility as we get older.

That is why I found the webinar so helpful, not just for the theological and pastoral perspectives but also the personal. What do you say, for instance, to someone who says that they feel “useless”, as my godmother used to say to me each time I visited?

What has this to do with John 6 verses 39-40? The words of Jesus clearly tell us that He will not lose anyone whom God has given Him, and that He will raise them up on the last day. The promise of resurrection is repeated in verse 28.

In John 10: 27-28 , Jesus says: “ My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. ”

Even if we were to suffer from hearing loss or a deteriorating memory or be lost in the fog of dementia as we age, Jesus will never lose us – we are safe in His hand.

In the 1990 movie “Home Alone”, an eight-year-old boy is accidentally left behind by his family when they travel overseas for a Christmas vacation. Our Lord is not like the distracted parents in the movie who, in the chaos of getting to the airport on time, did not notice that one child was missing. On the last day, Jesus will not suddenly realise that He lost track of one sheep.

“If I forget God, will God forget me?” Never! In Isaiah 49:16 , God says: “ See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me .” Even if a mother could forget a nursing child, God says He will never forget us. Others may, but not God.

PRAYER

Abba Father, thank you for engraving us on the palms of Your hands and for your promise that You will never forget us. Thank you for the gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ who keeps us safe in His hand. In His name we pray, Amen.

每日灵粮
2021年4月29日，星期四
题目： “如果我忘记了上帝。。。。
作者：赵秋霞姐妹
翻译：黄姐妹
经文：约翰福音6：39-40

差 我 来 者 的 意 思 就 是 ： 他 所 赐 给 我 的 ， 叫 我 一 个 也 不 失 落 ， 在 末 日 却 叫 他 复 活 。
因 为 我 父 的 意 思 是 叫 一 切 见 子 而 信 的 人 得 永 生 ， 并 且 在 末 日 我 要 叫 他 复 活 。

最近，我参加了一个网络研讨会，名为“老龄化与教会：神学和牧养观”。一位演讲者分享说，他的已故父亲患有阿尔茨海默氏症已有10多年了，他有一天向他提出了这个非常严峻的问题。

“如果我忘记了上帝，上帝会忘记我吗？”

他还分享说，父亲的认知能力下降到只能记住主日学的歌曲，“耶稣爱我，我知道”，并会在他去世前的最近几年反复演唱。 （这也是主日学校事工如此重要的原因，演讲者林牧师补充道；另一位演讲者是前牧师陈牧师。）

林牧师所分享的东西会在一定程度上引起那些不得不照顾年迈的父母或姻亲，或者有亲戚或朋友患有痴呆症的人的共鸣。根据记录，“痴呆症是精神能力下降的总称，严重到足以干扰日常生活。阿尔茨海默氏症是痴呆症的最常见原因。” （美国阿尔茨海默氏症协会）

根据世界银行的报告，马来西亚在2020年迈入到老龄化社会，其中65岁及以上的人口中有超过7％。预计到2044年将翻一倍，达到14％，到2056年，五分之一的马来西亚人将达到65岁以上。

马来西亚是一个老龄化社会，这一事实对教会及各事工都有影响，甚至对于像厕所这样平凡的事物来说，厕所的门宽是否方便轮椅使用者，或者确保在主日聚会中穿插几首圣诗（有关此方面的更多信息，在YouTube上观看网络研讨会的录音。）

美国老年痴呆症协会说，已知的最大的老年痴呆症危险因素是年龄增长，但该疾病并非衰老的正常部分。不过，随着年龄的增长，我们的记忆力已不如从前。我那八十几岁高龄母亲（我自己也不记得）常会混淆我在马六甲的姑姑和姐姐的家庭电话号码，她会带着悲伤的心情对我说：当我想给他们打电话时，“我已经不记得了。”

失去记忆不仅是令人恐惧的前景，并且当我们仍然能够意识到它正在发生的同时使我们感到悲伤，这是我们随着年龄的增长而丧失生产力，独立性和机动性的悲哀。

这就是为什么我发现网络研讨会，不仅对于神学和牧养方面并且对个人而言都是如此有用。例如，每回我探访我的契妈时她会对我说：“觉得自己是“没用”的人”时，应该如何来回应？

这与约翰福音6节39-40节有什么关系？耶稣的话清楚地告诉我们，祂不会失落上帝所赐给他的任何人，并且祂会在最后一天叫他们复活。
第28节重复了复活的应许。

在《约翰福音》 10：27-28 *中，
耶稣说：“我的羊听我的声音，我也认识他们，他们也跟随我。我要赐他们永生，他们永不灭亡。没有人能从我的手里把他们抢走。”

即使我们随着年龄的增长而遭受听力丧失或记忆力减退或在老年痴呆的迷失中，耶稣也永远不会丢失我们-我们在他的手中是安全的。

在1990年的一部电影《小鬼当家》中，一个八岁的男孩在圣诞节旅行时被家人遗忘了而独自留在家里。我们的主并不像电影中分心的父母那样，他们为了准时赶到机场时而没有意识到遗漏了一个孩子。在末世来临时，耶稣不会突然意识到自己失去了一只羊的踪迹。

“如果我忘记了上帝，上帝会忘记我吗？”
绝不。在以赛亚书49：16 *中
上帝说：看 哪 ， 我 将 你 铭 刻 在 我 掌 上 ； 你 的 墙 垣 常 在 我 眼 前 。
上帝说，即使是母亲会也忘记哺乳的孩子。
上帝说；祂永远不会忘记我们。其他人可能会，但上帝不会。

祷告

阿爸天父，感谢您将我们铭刻在您的手掌上，并应许我们祢将永远不会忘记我们。感谢您通过耶稣基督赐予我们永生的礼物，主耶稣保守我们。我们奉耶稣基督的名祷告，阿们。