Don't Forget

"Then it shall come about when the Lord your God brings you into the land which He swore to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to give you, great and splendid cities which you did not build, and houses full of all good things which you did not fill, and hewn cisterns which you did not dig, vineyards and olive trees which you did not plant, and you eat and are satisfied, then watch yourself, that you do not forget the Lord who brought you from the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery." -Deuteronomy 6.10-12

The nation of Israel is about to enter the Promised Land, and when they do they will receive amazing blessings from God. Cities they did not build, houses full of things they didn't acquire. Water cisterns ready for use, and vineyards and olive trees ready for harvest. It is crucial that in the moment when they begin to enjoy all of it that they don't forget God who gave it all to them. They used to be slaves, owning nothing, but soon they will be part of a great nation, with riches and possessions that only could have come from God.

How easy it is to fall into this trap. We need God desperately for something, He comes through, and as soon as He does we forget about Him. Or it could be more gradual. We start out passionate about God, but gradually we start to make it and get ahead. Slowly we begin to forget about God. We forget about where we started, how we had nothing and struggled just to survive. We begin to look at all we have gained, and forget the one who brought us from nothing into everything.

Maybe it isn't that you forget about God and stop surviving Him. Maybe you simply stop thanking Him for all that He has done. At the beginning you were grateful, and relieved, and now it just becomes ordinary and everyday. God provided but it was so long ago now that this has become the norm for life. Moses warned the people never to get comfortable and forget where God brought them from and what He brought them into .

Men, do you remember where you have come from? Do you remember the days when you were just starting out and struggling to make it? Do you remember how God provided for your needs then, and how He has come to bless you now? Maybe you're still struggling, and can only hope and long for the day that I'm talking about. Don't ever forget the struggles you are facing. Don't ever forget how God sustained you in this time. Don't ever stop thanking Him for all that He has done.

May we never forget what God has brought us through, and may we never stop thanking Him for bringing us where we are.

"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

To God alone be the Glory!

Strength and Honor