It is the rare human being who does not care to be
remembered. The memoirs of Nehemiah fascinate me; especially the verses about
him begging God to remember the hard things he went through, the enemies he had
to contend with, all that he invested in and did for God and so forth. Nehemiah
yearned for God to remember him and his ministry; not only for his spiritual
victories and successes but for the hard knocks he encountered. He just said it
how he felt: remember me. Initially it appears self-seeking, as if
everything was all about him rather than God.
However in reality it was not about him but about God. He was not doing anything for himself. It was
all for God. His memoirs are honest. I am not sure he wrote it for others as
much as for himself. That is probably why he could repeatedly cry out to God to
remember him and what he had done.
I desire for God to remember the efforts and the investment
I have made to reach Muslim women for Christ. Some of those women do not seem
to remember me today nor what I did for them. There have been tough times and
individuals who opposed me and spread painful rumors, even letters and Bibles
with our family photo returned. Once in Pakistan an opposer of the Truth bulldozed down five hundred feet of our wall. An enemy attempted unsuccessfully to
kidnap my husband once. Like Nehemiah I
could list off victories but also what I have done and at times suffered in
trying to point Muslim women to the Savior or to build a solid foundation of
teaching in discipleship.
Perhaps the same cry echoes in your heart. Maybe a Muslim
woman you befriended seems to have forgotten you now and all the kindnesses you
showed her. Or a woman who came to
Christ is not even in contact with you now. It is possible that you feel
forgotten by your supporting church. When you send out prayer information it
feels like it is read and forgotten very quickly. You cry inwardly, does anyone remember me or what I have
done for God? Deep down you know
that not many will remember you nor what you specifically did very well except
God Himself. When I make an honest evaluation
I have to admit I often do not remember what other people did for me twenty, thirty
years ago. I forget because of the development of new chapters in my life which
have pushed former things to the back burner of my memory bank. Occasionally an
awakening shock comes to me decades later of becoming aware of someone’s kindness
towards me. It was not even a matter of remembering but lack of awareness.
It is okay…even cathartic to cry out to God remember me and what I have done for You. Sure is better to beg God to remember than
to nurture self-pity or bitterness and get depressed about it all. 
Dear heavenly Father, thank You that You do remember! That encourages and comforts me tremendously.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
