Does God Forget?

Sometimes, when I am not thinking clearly, I am tempted to think that God has forgotten me. When it seems like the darkness is closing in and there is no light to see the path ahead – when the end of the road has come and there is nowhere to turn – when there is so much to do, and no strength – when it seems I am all alone – when the promise tarries longer than I think it should – then I forget that God cannot forget. I came across this verse today:

“Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee.”

I don’t forget my nursing baby – if I am in a different room than he is I check on him every few minutes. We’ve never been apart from each other for more than an hour or two, and he is constantly in the back of my mind when he is not with me. Yet, I could forget him – in the distractions of life, it is a possibility, however remote. But, says God, even if a mother can forget her nursing son – not even care if he is hungry – leave him alone – abandon him – even so, “I will not forget thee”.

This brought new joy today. And while it is dark and I cannot see what God is doing, this is the cry of my heart:

“It’s dark once more, and, as before,
You’re asking me to trust
Your Word is true and all you do
Is good and wise and just.
In days gone past You’ve come at last
In spite of all my tears
And doubts; but now, I want, somehow,
To trust you through my tears.

For tears will only last a night and joy comes with the dawn,
And it is easy to believe when I can see the sun;
A song of sight will flood my soul when I no longer wait,
But let me sing a song of trust before it is too late.

When sunshine fills the eastern hills
I cannot claim to trust;
Faith is not sight and, in that light,
My mountains turn to dust.
The chance to hope when I must grope
May never come again;
Help me to sing, and trust, and cling,
Before the path is plain.

For tears will only last a night and joy comes with the dawn,
And it is easy to believe when I can see the sun;
A song of sight will flood my soul when I no longer wait,
But let me sing a song of trust before it is too late.”