God Never Forgets (Ps 13)

A mum laments, ‘Have we done something wrong that provokes our God to punish our daughter to be a homosexual? ‘ An African mourn, ‘Have we committed unforgivable sin so that God has used AIDs to destroy our home and our family?’ Their questions are legitimate, because tragedy itself is unfair. We need explanation, because we want justice and fairness. Nevertheless, we have to admit that our experiences in life sometimes are incomprehensible. Even though we may explain how earthquake is happened for instance, we can’t explain why it has taken place here and now, and why it has happened to me.

We Christians do not have a better answer to the question of why there is earthquake in Japan, and why people have to suffer the threat of radiation from the destruction of nuclear plants. Ironically, our belief in God makes us fall into deeper contradiction, for the compassionate God does nothing to intervene. We can’t stop asking why God allows such a disaster to happen. But I think a more fundamental question puzzled us deeply, that is, ‘will God forget us forever?’. It is fundamental, not because this is the right question, but because we need salvation more than explanation.

The question of that ‘Will God forget us forever?’ (Ps.13) has assumed that God is our God, and he would not be indifference to what has been happened to us, but in reality, we do not experience God’s providence. Rather we experience the power of disaster and death. It is fear and tear that dominate our world, not God’s power and glory. The question of that ‘will God forget us forever?’ has assumed that our salvation comes from God’s remembrance. Remembrance is not just about memory, but about God’s action and care.. It is impossible for God not to do anything if he remembers us. Will God forget us forever?

But Zion said, ‘The LORD has forsaken me, my Lord has forgotten me.’ Can a woman forget her nursing-child, or show no compassion for the child of her womb? Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you. (Isa 49.15-16)

Most of the mothers with small infants in Hong Kong may have shared this experience, because there is a lack of milk powder available. Many mothers are anxious of the supply of milk powder. It seems that God is absence in our tragedy, but he does not forget. Let me share with you a story ..........

Nevertheless, some Christians put emphasis on God’s remembrance as to recover our faults and mistakes, and as a result, the thesis of disasters as God’s punishment is established. This is why they say that the current earthquake in Japan is God’s punishment on what Japan had done in China and Asia during the WWII. I could not accept this understanding of God’s remembrance, because the God whom Jesus revealed is not the God of revenge, but the God of forgiveness. God’s remembrance is not about the record of our sinfulness, but the fatherhood of God. In the Eucharist, we recall Jesus’ story, and this is a story characterized by solidarity, forgiveness and graciousness. On the other hand, we recall God’s promise of new heaven and new earth in the Eucharist. Jesus said,

I tell you, I will never again drink of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom (Matt 26:29).

Without the power of creating future, remembrance itself would be a spiral of suffering and desperate, for there is no way out. But it is God’s remembrance that breaks the spell of hopelessness and helplessness.

God’s remembrance moves us to be in solidarity with the sufferers. The urgent need in Japan may not be material support, but support and trust in whatever sense. I am happy to see a worldwide solidarity with Japan. Disasters have killed many lives, but never human spirit. Disasters have destroyed buildings, but never hope. Since God would not forget, suffering and death are not our last word. Even though our families and friends might be killed in disaster, their personhood would not disappear, for God has received them into his heart. This is Abel’s experience. After killing Abel, Cain thought that no one would have interest to know and care about this, but

The LORD said, ‘What have you done? Listen; your brother’s blood is crying out to me from the ground! (Gen 4:10)

When Descartes says, ‘I think therefore I am’, we Christians say, ‘We remember and are remembered therefore we are.’ In remembrance, we retrieve our human compassion, and in being remembered, our personhood is formed and received.