By Diane Stortz
With missionaries in the family, she had become pretty good at saying good-bye, although it”s never easy. This time, the leave-taking felt especially difficult, because not only were her daughter and son-in-law returning to the mission field, but this time they were taking their 7-week-old baby, Solomon, her first grandchild.
One of the first things Solomon”s grandma did when she got home from the airport was frame some of the many pictures taken during those first seven weeks of Solomon”s life. She placed three in the family room, one on the piano, one in the bedroom, and one in the kitchen. She organized all her photos online and ordered prints for her grandma”s brag book. She needed and wanted visible, daily reminders of this one she had come to love so much. She did not want to forget his little grin, double chin, sparkly eyes, big hands and feet, how he loved to kick like crazy, or how he calmed down whenever she played a CD of 1950s ballads and danced.
She was determined to remember.
Jesus said about Communion, “Do this to remember me” (1 Corinthians 11:24, New Living Translation). The bread represents his body; the juice represents his blood. We remember his death for us. But maybe as much as we need to remember his death, we also need to remember him. We need photos of Jesus in our hearts to help us remember we are not alone in our need.
And the Bible is full of pictures of Jesus!
There”s a photo of Jesus on a hillside, teaching. He is wisdom.
Another in a boat in a raging storm that suddenly grows calm when he speaks. He is power.
There”s a picture of Jesus with babies in his arms and toddlers on his knee. He is tenderness.
Another of a crowd of thousands, sustained with an unexpected meal from just one little lunch. He provides.
There are dozens of photos of Jesus with people he healed. Dozens more with people he forgave, like that wee little man Zacchaeus and the woman at the well.
There”s a photo of Jesus seated on a donkey, looking out at Jerusalem, weeping over people who refused to repent. He is compassion.
Of course, there are photos of Jesus on the cross and then his empty tomb. He is mercy, grace, and truth.
In Genesis there”s a photo of Jesus with his foot on Satan”s head, and in Revelation as a conquering warrior king on a white horse. He is victory.
What is your need right now? How does Jesus want you to remember him today? Ask the Holy Spirit to help you put the photo you need in a frame and place it on the table of your heart.
Let”s do what Jesus asked us to do””let”s remember him.
Diane Stortz is the author of A Woman”s Guide to Reading the Bible in a Year (Bethany House) and Bible storybooks and devotionals for children. Her newest book is I AM Devotional: 100 Devotions About the Names of God (Tommy Nelson).
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