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God created so many interesting parts to the body. One of them is our ability to remember.
And it is through memory that those who we no longer physically see come back to life.
After my father’s funeral, we gathered as a family at my brother’s house. Someone repeated something Daddy always said. Before they even finished the sentence, the whole group of us finished it. It was as if he was standing in the midst of us.
Jesus said,
In a little while you won’t see me anymore. But a little while after that, you will see me again.
John 16:16
Jesus’ physical body disappeared. However, He was not gone, just changed. His Followers simply needed to learn the new way to see Him.
What was that new way?
Jesus said,
“The Spirit will take from what is Mine and disclose it to you.”
John 16:15
Jesus also asked His Disciples to regularly remember Him. He tied their memories to something they did regularly — eating and drinking. He told them, as often as they ate or drink, to remember Him.
Do this in remembrance of Me.
Luke 22:19
The more often we remember Jesus or someone else we love, the stronger the memory grows and the more that person comes back to life.
When we long to be able to relate to a person physically and we cannot, it becomes painful and we may make the mistake of trying to avoid remembering them.
But when we do that, memories fade and it becomes more difficult to get them back.
So if you want to keep memories alive, remember frequently. Tell other people about your loved ones. If they knew them, you can share happy memories. If they did not know them, you can introduce them.
My parents and other relatives talked about their ancestors frequently and so repetitively, I felt as if I knew them. Even though I never met them physically, they were alive to me.
In telling us to remember Him, Jesus was giving us another gift. He broke bread and gave each of His Followers a piece. He said the bread represented His Body. They each had a part to take into their body.
In the same way, we who knew our loved ones each carry a part of their life within us. When we share our part with each other, it becomes more than remembering in the traditional way of thinking.
It becomes re-membering. We put the members of that person’s body back together. Together we see them!
When Jesus retired His Physical Body, He told His Followers to teach everything He had commanded them. That is how we keep Jesus and our loved ones alive.
We live the best of what they taught us and we teach others to do the same.
Paul told his followers,
“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And The God of Peace will be with you.”
Philippians 4:8-9
