“And Peter remembered the saying of Jesus” (Matt. 26:75). Not as a dispassionate scholar, interested but distant from his subject. Not as an absent-minded professor, forgetful but finally recalling. Not as a religious person, observant but perfunctory in his devotions. Not as an unbeliever, knowing but discounting the things that matter most. But as a believer, to whom the word came with wounding power. “And he went out and wept bitterly.” The words of Jesus wound and heal. They break and bless. But to do their work they must be remembered.

An entire biblical theology of remembering runs throughout the Scriptures. “Remember the Sabbath day” (Exod. 20:8). “Remember all the commandments of the Lord” (Num. 15:39). “Remember the wondrous works that he has done” (1 Chron. 16:12). “Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome” (Neh. 4:14). Pile up these stones as “a memorial forever” (Josh. 4:7). “Keep your soul diligently, lest you forget” (Deut. 4:9; cf. 4:23; 6:12; 8:11). “Remember it is not you who support the root, but the root that supports you” (Rom. 11:18). “Do this in remembrance of me” (1 Cor. 11:24). “Remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world” (Eph. 2:12). “Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of David, as preached in my gospel” (2 Tim. 2:8).

Remembering and believing are not cousins. They are twins. To remember biblically is to believe. And to believe, you must remember. Spiritual amnesia is fatal, not like a dose of fast-acting poison, but like cancer. Perhaps it’s best to say, “Spiritual amnesia is terminal.” It slowly takes its toll. But in the end, death is death.

The story of Peter turns out to be, in the classic sense, a comedy. Not because it makes us laugh, but because it ends happily. Remembering led to weeping. Weeping led to repenting. Repenting led to loving. Loving led to following the risen Christ (John 21:15-19).

The cancer of spiritual forgetfulness has a cure. Unlike radiation and chemotherapy that deplete the body, this cure replenishes the soul. Take a large dose of remembering. Take as needed. Take often. Overdosing is not a concern. Underdosing is.

Originally written on Good Friday 2008

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