The Chief Butler Forgot

Today’s Verse:

Yet did not the chief butler remember Joseph, but forgat him. ~Genesis 40:23

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Are you someone who is forgetful? Do you forget where you put your keys? Do you forget your username and password for login purposes? I think that most forgetfulness is not malicious but due to distraction, information overload, or lack of concentration. Joseph was in prison for a crime that he was unjustly accused of. An opportunity came about where he could possibly be released. He told the chief butler, “But think on me when it shall be well with thee, and shew kindness, I pray thee, unto me, and make mention of me unto Pharaoh, and bring me out of this house.” However, the chief butler did not remember Joseph or his good deed! The chief butler forgot! Let us consider some lessons regarding forgetfulness this morning.

There is treachery in forgetfulness.

Prior to Israel entering the Promised Land, Moses told them to remember the Lord their God. They were to remember that God was the source for their wealth and goodness. He told them that the moment they forgot God, God would chasten them. We must remember the Lord always in all things! We must remember to honor the Lord and worship Him. We must remember that every blessing cometh from above. It is treachery and disloyalty to forget that the Lord is the One Who blesses us.

There is the transgression in forgetfulness.

The chief butler showed that he was selfish. He forgot Joseph. He did not remember that Joseph was the man who possessed the God-given ability to interpret his dream. Because of Joseph, the chief butler was a free man. It is a sin to be unthankful. We are out of the will of God when we are unthankful. We are prone to being unthankful because we believe that we are deserving of God’s goodness and grace when, in effect, we are not. The things we thank God for are a reflection of how well we remember God in His goodness to us. Many of us look on our balance sheets to think of how much we have achieved instead of reflecting on how good God has been to us.

There is the training for forgetfulness.

How do we correct the problem of forgetfulness? First, we should keep track of the blessings of God in our life. This list should be diligently kept up to date. Second, we should mark special events and days of celebration that are significant about other people. The chief butler should have made a note to make an opportunity to speak a special word on behalf of Joseph. We should make the birthdays and anniversaries of our loved ones special days of remembrance. We should take advantage of the times when our church takes the Lord’s Supper to remember the Lord in His death on the cross for our sins. We have to work at remembering things and people. We must guard our life against being forgetful.

As John told the church at Ephesus, we must remember, repent, and restore. The first admonition is to remember. Let us remember the Lord and His love and goodness towards us!

Have a thoughtful God Morning!

Bible Reading Schedule: 2 Chronicles 25-27

#Genesis #Forgetfulness #Remembering #Thankfulness