Now that I’m over 40, I find myself forgetting things. I’ve caught myself a couple of times walking into a room and then forgetting why it was necessary to take the trip. Occasionally, I’ll go to the grocery store with a mental list of three things to pick up. I’ll come home with four items, and two of them weren’t even on my list! Notes on my phone aren’t just a helpful organizational tool, but a necessary aid in remembering what in the world I’m supposed to be doing. I even have found myself taking pictures of where I park in the airport parking garage so I don’t spend the night aimlessly looking for my vehicle. 

We all forget things. Sometimes, we forget important things. I’ve wondered to myself if that’s one of the reasons Scripture so frequently reminds us of what we already know.

Sometimes I need to be reminded of what is true. I need to be told of wisdom I’ve already been taught. There are truths that Scripture declares that I’ve already heard, but I need to hear again. And again. And again. I think it’s easy to read the whole of 1 John and come away thinking, “How many different ways can he think of to say the same thing over and over?”  He seemed to understand our tendency to forget, and he wanted the truth to sink in deep.

Life with God isn’t always about discovering a new truth, but remembering what we already know. John even says in chapter 2 verse 1: “Beloved, I am writing you no new commandment, but an old commandment that you had from the beginning.” Some may see that as antiquated, old, or boring. I find it reassuring. Today, be reminded of what you already know. Search the Bible for age-old truth, and, if you need extra help remembering it, that’s ok. Write it down or take a picture. 

I write to you, not because you do not know the truth, but because you know it…