by Esther Peterson
“Plug your ears and shut your eyes! It can’t last forever!” My wise advice was more for myself than my little companion as we huddled together attempting to shut out the horror all about us. The darkness, sounds, and thoughts of, “What will come next?” were unbearable until the Disneyland employee tapped me on the head and said, “What are you doing here still?”
How were me and my second-grade classmate supposed to know that the Haunted Mansion ride had stopped and all of our fellow riders had disembarked? Most certainly we were NOT trying to go around the whole ride again! Shaking, we both got off the moving “doom buggy” (so they called it) to face the true horror of having been left by our teacher and entire class. Because we missed the intended exit, we had to walk back through the haunted introduction section of the ride. Back through the haunted hall we walked; back in the haunted elevator we went; back to the haunted trail we trotted. There we waited, wondering how long it would take our group to realize that they were two second-graders short of a complete class. At that moment, the horror of being forgotten outweighed the horror of the ride by far!
Forgotten and alone: these are feelings that truly haunt you no matter how old or young you may be.
Have you, Christian, ever felt forgotten or alone? You may joke about the “Elijah syndrome” of being left with no one, but when the joke is over, you may look around and think, “No, but really I think I am one of the last ones with standards.” You may sit alone, knowing you have tried to live right, raise your family right, and be a Christian example in the world around you; but, the situations in which you now find yourself begin to sow seeds of doubt. Does God even remember where He left you?
Dear friend, God remembers! Looking at the account of Noah, it is impossible not to be encouraged by these following verses!
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You are remembered when surrounded by transgression.
Genesis 6:8 says, “But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.” In the midst of great wickedness Noah’s life was noticed by God. Genesis 7:1 says, “And the LORD said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation.” God remembers your obedience and love for Him! The stand taken and the hard decisions made in the face of opposition will spare you and your children from a life destroyed because of sin. Do not discard your belief system because of loneliness.
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You are remembered when the storm has you troubled.
Genesis 8:1 says, “And God remembered Noah, and every living thing, and all the cattle that was with him in the ark: and God made a wind to pass over the earth, and the waters assuaged;” Does it seem like the storm will never end? Oh, you have made the right decisions and done your best to guide your family in the right path, but you may be on that ark and it is day 150! Will the storm ever pass? Oh, yes! God remembers! Take courage! He may be about to send the wind to blow away the waters and you will be at rest once more with a greater understanding of how great God is.
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You are remembered because the Savior is trustworthy.
Psalm 136:23 says, “Who remembered us in our low estate: for his mercy endureth for ever:” Whether you have been living at your best or are at an all-time low in your life, the good news is that our God does not remember us because of us, but because of His endless mercy!
Take heart, dear saint! You may be shuddering at the circumstances of your present situation, but the Divine Teacher will not leave you at the Haunted Mansion forever. You are not forgotten!