Do not Forget

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

Waking up every morning is a miracle in itself, and that’s worth celebrating. Each new day is a gift from our gracious God.

We are so miniscule we cannot even begin to create a certainty in our future. The only certainty we have is the past.

Our past shows us that we are dear to God and being that we can be sure that He will ascertain the best for our future. That best may not be in line with what we want, but it will be what we need, to live a life as God would like us to.

In the words of Ms Francis Taylor -

When you feel abandoned by God it is so important that you remember when God was there for you. This is what Moses was trying to impress upon the Israelites before they entered the promise land. (In the quoted verse)

He had many instructions for them, including the necessity of keeping the commandments. They would forget to follow the commandments, but when they were at their lowest points, they would remember that God always came through. As generations came and went, this message was repeated in the Scriptures. It was contained in Psalm 22 which Jesus would quote while he hung on the cross. It is important for us as well to remember and not abandon God when bad things happen in our lives, because if there is any certainty in life, it is that bad things will happen. No one escapes suffering. The challenge for us as for the Israelites is how we respond. Do we continue to trust that God will be with us through it all, or do we turn away from God, or even deny God's very existence? The way we handle tragedy teaches our children and grandchildren about our trust in God even more than the words we use. When our first response is prayer, we are teaching trust. When we recall the blessings we have received, it is easier to stay faithful.

Sometimes we think that if God is with us, we won't have to face these problems, but that is so unrealistic! Jesus knew that his Father was with him IN the suffering, and that is what helped him to face it. God will be with us in OUR suffering as well. 

When we count our blessings daily, we are keeping the memory of them alive and we will be more able to survive what life sends us.