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Some of our cherished memories are of our childhood, things that we did with our family and friends. These memories always bond us together as a family. Pleasant memories just don’t happen, we have to create them. This is one of the important aspects of a happy, godly and united family. [Get a few people to share some pleasant memories with their family]. In this lesson we are going to talk about some practical ways of creating memories in our christian life.
1. Plan in advance
Mark 14:12-17
12 On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, when it was customary to sacrifice the Passover lamb, Jesus' disciples asked him, "Where do you want us to go and make preparations for you to eat the Passover?"
13 So he sent two of his disciples, telling them, "Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him.
14 Say to the owner of the house he enters, 'The Teacher asks: Where is my guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?'
15 He will show you a large upper room, furnished and ready. Make preparations for us there."
16 The disciples left, went into the city and found things just as Jesus had told them. So they prepared the Passover.
17 When evening came, Jesus arrived with the Twelve.
Here we see that Jesus did lot of preparation and planning before he instructed his disciples about the plan for the last supper. He wanted to make it a memorable event in all their lives, so memorable that it’s memory has become everlasting.
Before we undertake to create special memories, the following have to be kept in mind. Time and place, budget involved, delegation of responsibility, how and what to do.
2. Creating Godly memories
Matthew 17:1-8
1 After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves.
2 There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light.
3 Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus.
4 Peter said to Jesus, "Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters--one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah."
5 While he was still speaking, a bright cloud enveloped them, and a voice from the cloud said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!"
6 When the disciples heard this, they fell facedown to the ground, terrified.
7 But Jesus came and touched them. "Get up," he said. "Don't be afraid."
8 When they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus.
Jesus took his best friends to a mountaintop experience in prayer. This memory must have strengthened his disciples faith later on, and they recollected it and spoke about it.
2 Peter 1:18
We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain.
We must create godly memories in our children through family devotionals, so that when they grow up and are away from you, these memories will keep them close to God.
Have fun followed by prayer at rooftop, park, beach, mountain, boating etc.. Be creative in Bible studies. Enact the story.
Give roles to children, and for yourselves. Study out books together as a family. Quiz each other.
3. Creating lasting memories
Mark 14:3-9
3 While he was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of a man known as Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head.
4 Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another, "Why this waste of perfume?
5 It could have been sold for more than a year's wages and the money given to the poor." And they rebuked her harshly.
6 "Leave her alone," said Jesus. "Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me.
7 The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me.
8 She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial.
9 I tell you the truth, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her."
She poured perfume on Jesus feet, and he said what she has done will be an everlasting memory (vs.9).
John 2:1-8
1 On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus' mother was there,
2 and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding.
3 When the wine was gone, Jesus' mother said to him, "They have no more wine."
4 "Dear woman, why do you involve me?" Jesus replied. "My time has not yet come."
5 His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you."
6 Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons.
7 Jesus said to the servants, "Fill the jars with water"; so they filled them to the brim.
8 Then he told them, "Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet." They did so,
Jesus went to a wedding with his disciples and he performed his first miracle.
Luke 1:39-45
39 At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea,
40 where she entered Zechariah's home and greeted Elizabeth.
41 When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.
42 In a loud voice she exclaimed: "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear!
43 But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
44 As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.
45 Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!"
Mary and Elizabeth spent three months together (v56).
They must have shared their secrets, their fears, their future… a lot of talking and sharing done together.
These are some Biblical examples of everlasting memories created.
Here are some practicals.
* Buy surprise gifts, flowers, write notes, cards (put them in pockets, purse, dressing table, shoes, etc..)
* Get different families to come prepared with different kind of state foods and have pot luck meals.
* Cook meals together.
* Treasure hunt.
* Moon light dinner with music.
* Go for walks and have ice-creams.
* Go for picnics. Have bar-be-cues and camp fires and talk about childhood stories.
* Get some singles to take care of children and the couples go for dates.
* Paint together (easter eggs, christmas cards, shells)
* Decorate together. Put on the music and dance.
* Celebrate little little victories.
* Play water games, pillow fights in family times.
Conclusion
We may go through the motions of life, but when we look back over the years of past life, do we have pleasant memories?
We have to create memories so as to make life more meaningful.
For that we need to plan in advance and make them special and creative.
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