Genesis: 40:23 The chief cupbearer, however, did not remember Joseph, he forgot him.
[New International Translation]
Psalms 77:11 I will remember the works of the LORD: surely I will remember thy wonders of old. I will meditate also of all thy work, and talk of thy doings.
[King James Translation]
Summary
During his prison stay, Joseph met two men—the chief cupbearer and the chief baker of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. Both men displeased Pharaoh and had ended up in prison. Both men were distraught. Both men needed help—they were depressed about their predicament and assumed their careers in Pharaoh’s household were over. Then both men had a dream. Neither man knew what to make of his dream, which compounds their misery even more.
Joseph meets each of these men in their distress and interprets each man’s dream. The chief cupbearer receives good news. He is told that in three days Pharaoh will remove the cupbearer from prison, give him back his wine taster job and he will again find favor in Pharaoh’s household. In exchange for this gift of “dream interpretation” and relief from worry and stress, Joseph asks only one thing---remember me. Joseph asks that when the cupbearer is restored to his position that he put in a good word for Joseph—that he ask Pharaoh to have pity of Joseph and let Joseph out of jail, because Joseph is innocent. (See, Genesis 40:12-15)
Three days later, what Joseph predicted came true. The chief cupbearer is restored to his former position, but once restored, the cupbearer “promptly” [See the Living Bible translation.] forgot about Joseph. He never gave Joseph a second thought for two whole years.
Perhaps the writer of Psalms 77:11 had the chief cupbearer in mind when he reminded himself in song to remember the works of the LORD. Perhaps the writer knew that if he sang the verse about what GOD had done for him---all the wonders of old---it would cause him to remember the LORD. Perhaps the song writer knew that humans are notorious for forgetting---they have to work at remembering, and so, he sang a song to remember to remember GOD.
The theme of remembering to remember is also captured in the lyrics of a wonderful communion hymn, “Lead Me to Calvary.”
Lest I forget Gethsemane,
Lest I forget Thine agony;
Lest I forget Thy love for me,
Lead me to Calvary.
Perhaps this is why JESUS’ disciples were given “communion instructions,” (1 Corinthian 11:23-34) so they would “do this” in remembrance of HIM.
Humans often have horrible memories. They forget. They have to work at remembering.
The Brain and Exercise
In “Regular Exercise Changes the Brain to Improve Memory, Thinking Skills,” Heidi Godman, Executive Director of the Harvard Health Letter notes that there are a number of direct and indirect benefits of physical activity for brain health and improved memory. One direct benefit of exercise is that physical activity reduces a person’s risk of developing heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. Another big benefit of exercise is that it “changes the brain in ways that protect memory and thinking skills.” In a study done at the University of British Columbia:
[R]esearcher found regular aerobic exercise, the kind that gets your heart and your sweat glands pumping, appears to boost the size of the hippocampus, the brain area involved in verbal memory and learning…
According to Godman, this kind of research is timely, since researchers note that one new case of dementia is detected every four seconds globally. These researchers have estimated that by 2050 more than 115 million people will have dementia worldwide.
See, “Regular Exercise Changes the Brain to Improve Memory, Thinking Skills,” by Heidi Godman, April 9, 2014, updated April 5, 2016, http://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/regular-exercise-changes-brain-improve-memory-thinking-skills-201404097110.
Godman notes that some of the direct benefits of exercise include its ability to reduce insulin resistance, reduce inflammation and stimulate the release of growth factors—“ chemicals in the brain that affect the health of brain cells, the growth of new blood vessels in the brain, and even the abundance and survival of new brain cells.”
Some of the indirect benefits of exercise include its ability to improve mood and sleep and reduce stress and anxiety. Id. According to Godman, the study participants walked briskly for one hour, twice a week. If 120 minutes seems “too much,” she suggests starting with 10 or 15 minutes every week, until you research your goal.
As an alternative to walking, Godman suggests swimming, stair climbing, tennis, dancing, intense floor mopping, leaf raking or anything else that increases your heart rate. For additional suggestions, there are a number of websites that may prove helpful for:
1. Wheelchair users: http://livehealthy.chron.com/aerobic-exercises-wheelchair-users-4940.html
2. Diabetics Type 2: http://www.endocrineweb.com/conditions/type-2-diabetes/type-2-diabetes-exercise
3. The Elderly: http://eldergym.com/exercises-for-the-elderly.html
4. Beginners: http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/guide/fitness-beginners-guide
5. Families: http://familyfitness.about.com/od/motivation/a/get_started.htm
If you have any health concerns or have a medical condition, it is always prudent to consult your own person physician before starting an exercise program.
Remembering to Remember the LORD
Sometimes we have to work at remembering what GOD has done. We have to remember HIS works in our lives. We have to remember how far we have come. And, we have to remember to remember.
If our children do not “remember their CREATOR in the days of their youth,” (see Ecclesiastes 12:1) perhaps it is because “we” have forgotten to “remember to remind” them. If we forget to pray, perhaps it is because “we” have forgotten to “remember to pray without ceasing.” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-17). If we forget to give thanks, perhaps it is because we have stopped remembering and recalling what GOD has done.”
Many of us recall hymn humming mothers, aunts, and grandmothers, praying deacons that just “talked to the LORD” thanking HIM for “standing by them,” “making a way,” “for healing a body,” “mending a mind,” “for opening doors.” As they hummed and prayed, they were remembering to remember. Like exercise, we have to remember to remember again and again-- lest we forgot.
Today, “work at it.”
Pray, exercise, remember to remember, and BE BLESSED!
