Forgetting God

 

So you shall keep the commandments of the Lord your God by walking in his ways and by fearing him. For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and springs, flowing out in the valleys and hills, a land of wheat and barley, of vines and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive trees and honey, a land in which you will eat bread without scarcity, in which you will lack nothing, a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills you can dig copper. And you shall eat and be full, and you shall bless the Lord your God for the good land he has given you. Take care lest you forget the Lord your God. (Deuteronomy 8:6-11 ESV).

 

Forgetting God is the primary cause of our restlessness in our journey. Forgetting God doesn't necessarily mean completely erasing God from memory. Instead, it is the neglecting of God's presence in our life. It happens when we  prioritize other things over Him, or lose our focus on our relationship with Him. It can involve forgetting to be thankful, relying on oneself instead of God, or failing to remember God's goodness and promises.

 

It takes work to maintain a home. Whether you own your own residence or rent from others, there are always little maintenance projects that creep up: light bulbs need replacing, lawns need mowing, faucets begin to drip, doors need to be repainted. Sometimes we put the work off for another day, but if we wait too long the home will deteriorate. A home always needs regular maintenance. We can also face temptations to take our home with God for granted. When times are good, we look at our material blessings, at our relationships with family and friends, or at our moral character, and we assume we are doing fine. We forget that these are gifts from God that we receive by grace.

 

Israel was reminded that when they arrived in the promised land, they needed to make work of remembering God. God warned that if they did not actively honor the Lord for his gifts, they would soon forget the Giver. God wants us to know where our blessings come from—and especially the gift of our relationship with him in Christ. This active, intentional act of remembrance is the key to avoiding restlessness in our journey. Commit yourself to recognizing the greatness of your relationship with Him each day!