Wednesday, August 10, 2005

Forget Not (Revisited)

"Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them slip from your hearts as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them" (Deuteronomy 4:9).

Back in April, I blogged about a lesson God was driving home in my heart about failing to remember His past faithfulness. Today as I was reading in Deuteronomy, He hit me with it again. More and more I'm realizing the truth that so much trouble and heartache could be avoided if we were diligent to remind ourselves of God's rich history of faithfulness--in the Israelites' journeys, in Christ's redemption of us, in the New Testament church, in the more recent church, in the lives of our loved ones and especially in our own life experiences.

Many of my own sinful attitudes come from a flawed perspective--the same one that plagued Eve in the Garden all those years ago. Satan won when he drew her attention away from all of God's blessings and toward the one thing she lacked. Similarly, I find myself feeling jealous, melancholy, bitter, angry or self-pitying when my focus is like hers. On the other hand, when I adopt a consistent perspective of gratitude--Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits (Psalm 103:2)--my heart is realigned and I am drawn to worship the God of unfailing love and faithfulness.

Take a few minutes right now--if you're sitting at your computer reading my blog, I know you have a few minutes to spare--to remember what He has done. Grab a scrap of paper, or open a Wordpad file, and jot down ten ways He's shown Himself faithful in your life. Don't find yourself in the same predicament as the Israelites, having forgotten the things you've seen and let them slip from your heart. Watch yourself closely so that you do not forget.

3 comments:

Kayla said...

It's so refreshing at work to click on your page and hear God speaking right to my heart. I have added you to my contacts Amy because I want my friends and family to be blessed as much as I am when I read your page.

Jules said...

During my Bible study on the life of Moses I remember thinking again and again that the Israelites were such spoiled brats! God was saving them and blessing them over and over again, yet they continued to grumble and complain. Had they forgotten all of the miraculous things that God had done for them? How ungrateful!

Then I looked at my own life and realized that I am a spoiled brat just the same. I whine and complain despite all the amazing blessings God has given me. Aren’t we all so guilty of that?

Jackie said...

You really know how to make a person that doesn't normally cry cry! Not because your post was sad .. but because it was way too true. Thanks for all of your little reminders in life ... you are one amazing woman Amy! :-)