QUICK OR SLOW TO REMEMBER?

Image result for CLIP ART SHOWING REMEMBERWe remember birthdays, deaths, anniversaries, and other dates which are important to us. I wonder why my mind has a tendency to wonder off and forget God's goodness and blessings in my past?  In reading Joshua 4, God gives instructions to this second generation of Israelites who have just crossed  the Jordan River on dry ground, even in the flood season!  Each Tribal leader was to take up a stone from the Jordan River and the stones are to be carried with them to Gilgal, outside of Jericho, where they are setting up camp.  The stones are set up as a memorial...as a remembrance.  The Israelites are to tell their children "that the hand of the Lord is powerful, and so that you might always fear the Lord."  Joshua 4:24b

In Psalm 106, an anonymous Psalmist relates: "they did not remember your many kindnesses"; "they soon forgot what He had done"; "they forgot the God who saved them"; "they despised the pleasant land", 'they did not believe"; "they grumbled"; "they did not obey"; "they yoked themselves to Baal Peor (idols); "they provoked the Lord to anger".  Note the downward spiral of emotional responses:  from not remembering to provoking the Lord to anger!  These indictments could be attached to me also, tragically.

John 14: 26 "But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit , whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will REMIND you of everything I have said to you."  I don't have to respond as the Israelites for I have the power of the Indwelling Holy Spirit and the completed Word of God for a memory check.  SADLY, in a time of need when I should be waiting on the Lord to meet my need, I forget! I begin to look at the lack and all the presses of being needy and the need becomes the focus. The need becomes bigger than God in my mind.  Next to follow, the downward spiral of unbelief of will God/or can God?  You can just bet that grumbling is soon to follow!  How quickly I can forget PROMISES MADE; PROMISES KEPT.  Thank the Father for repentance and forgiveness.  Oh yes, and GRACE. I can review the times of being needy and Father has prolonged my requests to teach me to wait upon Him and to strengthen my faith.  Holy Spirit of God, my HOLY "RECALLER" of TRUTH, bring to my mind the goodness, the provisions, the mercies, and Your grace.  JUST A FRIENDLY REMINDER: Recall all that the Lord has done to bless you and to strengthen your faith. Recall His powerful hand in your behalf. #IHAVETHREESONS 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

REHEARSALS

Image
  I wonder how much time do I give to rehearsing God's goodness and how He has intervened in my life to "save" me from myself?  How alike the Israelites I can be, complaining about what goes wrong, how it affects me, and what I lack.  As a Christ follower, I have the Indwelling Holy Spirit to give me remembrance NOT of my complaining and grumbling, but of a recall of God's faithfulness to me.  It is recorded in Psalms 78 and 106 that " They forgot what He had done, the wonder He had shown them", "They did not remember His power--the day He redeemed them from the oppressor...", "They did not remember Your many kindnesses, and they rebelled by the sea, the Red Sea.", "But they soon forgot what He had done and did not wait for His counsel.", and "They forgot the God who saved them, who had done great things in Egypt...". Contrast with me, God's remembrance: Ps. 106:44-46, "But He took note of their distress
Read more

LAST THOUGHT ON LEVITICUS

Image
  For the first time in many years, I have enjoyed reading through Leviticus.  I have skipped it several times and read on.  This go round, I have sought to focus on some thoughts, words, phrases, or practices that God had instituted for the Israelites and their physical and spiritual well-being.  The Ten Commandments and many of the laws have real practical value for society and the Christ follower today.  The Lord God gave them a standard, a commandment, which is applicable for today, "You must obey my laws and be careful to follow my decrees.  I am the Lord (Jehovah) your God (Elohim).  Keep my decrees and laws, for the man who obeys them will live by them.  I am the LORD."  Leviticus 18:4-5   My concluding thought from Leviticus is this admonition or commandment:  " You are to be holy to me because I, the LORD, am holy, and I have set you apart from the nations to be my own."  Leviticus 20:26.  Even though spoken to Israel, the truth of being holy is directe
Read more

ORDER AND DESIGN

Image
    I do not have OCD, but I do confess that I like order in my home.  Now that I am retired, I am not so much into spotless, but "picked up" and "kinda" clean. (Do not open drawers and closets!) I might go to more trouble when I know I am having company, but otherwise, I remove the clutter that seems to reproduce on its own.   When I began the reading in Genesis in January, I was again taken with the with the orderliness and design of God in creation, and have seen Him use Moses and Aaron to ORDERLY marshal the Israelites to move out of Egypt. How do you move some 600+ males and that is not even wives and children? Animals also?  They have been one year+ out of Egypt, and have been camped at Mt. Sinai where God has given them laws for their spiritual and physical welfare.  God gives Moses the design of the Tabernacle and Moses is able to bring together the workers to complete the Tabernacle.   The clip art at the top is the positioning of the 12 Tribes and the
Read more