If you’ve ever been frustrated because you easily forget biblical truth you once learned, you are not alone. Many sincere believers struggle with this problem, and this author is one of them. By Wednesday, I usually have a hard time even remembering what I preached on the previous Sunday. My mind works forward to future responsibilities and not so well looking back to the past. For many of us, our minds are like a colander that allows truth to be washed away. Therefore we need constant review of biblical truths.

Even John the Baptizer had this problem. While imprisoned for some time and abandoned by Israel, this great man of God became discouraged and confused. John knew our Lord to be the Messiah, for when John baptized Christ, John witnessed the Spirit of God descend upon the Savior and heard the Father’s voice from heaven declaring Christ to be His Son (Matthew 3:13-17). But John was anticipating the Savior to quickly establish His kingdom on earth. With this delay and John’s persecution, he sends his disciples to Christ asking, “Art thou He that should come, or do we look for another?” (Matthew 11:3). The response of the Lord Jesus is encouraging because it was not harsh. Instead it was patient and loving. Beyond the miraculous events John personally witnessed confirming our Lord was the promised King of Israel, he should have also remembered key Old Testament prophecies of the Messiah. Isaiah 35:1-5 predicted the Messiah would open the eyes of the blind and ears of the deaf. Isaiah 61:1-3 declared Israel’s promised one would have the Spirit of God upon Him as He preached to the meek and brokenhearted, and that He would proclaim “the acceptable year of the Lord” [establishing a kingdom on earth for Israel]. The Lord Jesus told the disciples of John to return to him and confirm “again” that the blind were being healed, the dead raised, and the Gospel of the Kingdom was being “preached to them” (Matthew 11:5). All these things demonstrated that the Lord Jesus was Israel’s Messiah.

When you forget great spiritual truths previously learned, be encouraged that the Lord understands, “For He knoweth our frame; and remembereth that we are dust” (Psalm 103:14). He knows we will need constant review or we will forget. This is exactly why He provided us with His written Word. Make it your priority to read it every day.