Friday, February 19, 2010

on mirrors, writing, and memory

James 1:22-25

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it ways. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it -- he will be blessed in what he does.

Pretty early on in high school I learned that I needed to take notes in order to learn the material I was being taught.  I never looked at my notes again after I took them. Simply the process of writing things down helped me to learn and remember what I was taught. I had the thought, "I never look at these notes after I take them.  Why take them at all?" But if I stopped writing, I also stopped remembering.


On and off though the last 8 years of my life I've kept a journal where I record significant events of my life, take notes on sermons or my own bible study, write prayers or prayer requests, jot poems, etc.


I generally write in spurts: more now, less later; a lot for a month, not at all for a few weeks; and on it goes.


Recently I've begun to notice a coloration between my writing frequency and my intimacy with God.  The more I write, the closer I feel to my Father.  I remember more of his word, and practice more. It's like I'm putting more effort into the relationship, and it has an effect.


I've written very little for the past two or three weeks, and it's been more and more of a struggle to be disciplined in reading scripture, to avoid temptation, to love and serve my brothers.


Gracious God, discipline me to write, that I might not gaze into the mirror and forget my face.

2 comments:

Matt Marsh said...

i agree with this post 100%.

Andrea said...

This is encouraging to read. I've been trying to get into the habit of keeping a journal and it has been frustrating. Thanks for the reminder that it is worth the effort.