When I was a young married woman, my parents offered to take me and my three children out west in their motor home. Since my husband had to work, he told us to go.

This trip was some adventure for my children. First off, they’d never been west. Secondly, they would meet more family. Thirdly, they would travel in a motor home! Even though it was a thirty-two footer, we were packed in! Children being what they are, they were really squirrelly by the time we arrived at the home of my uncle and aunt.

As we drove up, Uncle Ez came out the front door followed by Aunt Esther. He was still a strapping man in his mid-seventies, but Aunt Esther was so frail, a zephyr could blow her away. As we piled out onto their lawn, she greeted each one with hugs and kisses. She recognized us right away, calling me by name and saying how good it was to see us. When she saw my daughter, who was knee-high to a grasshopper, my aunt immediately gave her a kiss on the forehead. She exclaimed, “My goodness, Cassandra, you’ve not changed a bit!”

Then looking back and forth to each of us, she got the most puzzled look on her face. Gently, I said, “Aunt Esther, I’m Cassandra, and this is my daughter.”

She countered, “Goodness gracious me, why, she’s the spitting image of you!”

It was our first clue that something was not quite right. Later she offered to make us some iced tea. Leaving us in the living room, she went to the kitchen, but was soon back. She blurted, “Gracious! When did you folks get here?”

That was when my uncle told us she had Alzheimer’s. That wasting disease had claimed much of her mind, but grace left her God’s Word. It was the last thing to go. When the adults had a discussion about bad things happening, Aunt Esther contributed by reciting, letter perfect, the entire eighth chapter of Romans. Then she said, “No matter how my mind fails me, God never does. I may forget, but He always remembers.”

God never forgets those He loves. The prophet Isaiah put it well when he penned, “Can a woman forget her nursing child, or show no compassion for the child of her womb? Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you. See, I have inscribed you on the palms of my hands; your walls are continually before me.” (Isaiah 49:15-16 NRSV)

As we remember — or forget — isn’t it a comfort to know that God remembers? We can be assured that God will never forget us.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, it is good to draw comfort from knowing Your memory never fails You. No matter what, we rest within the palms of Your hands. Enable us always to draw comfort from knowing that we will never be forgotten by You. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

Cassandra Wessel casswessel@gmail.com

Tionesta, Pennsylvania, USA

Thanks to http://daily.presbycan.ca