Let's Not Forget!

Let’s not forget!

In Psalm 78, the people of the northern tribes of Israel are described as “[forgetting] what [God] had done, the wonders He had shown them” (v. 11). They had spiritual amnesia! The results in their lives from ignoring God’s commands and forgetting all He had done on their behalf included a stubborn, rebellious nature; hearts disloyal to God; and unfaithful spirits (v. 8). These are certainly not qualities any of us would desire to have in our lives!

Sadly, this same disease can show up in the lives of Christians today. A primary cause is forgetting that we have been cleansed of our past sins (2 Peter 1:9) by Christ’s death and resurrection. Isaiah 17:10 shares this diagnosis, “You have forgotten God your Savior; you have not remembered the Rock, your fortress.” Oh, we may say that we know that Jesus is our Savior. But how often do we stop to spend time thinking deeply and gratefully about the miracle Jesus Christ has performed in our own lives to bring us from spiritual death to eternal life and how much it cost Him? And to thank Him with a humble heart?

So what is the antidote for spiritual amnesia? A starting point is reminding ourselves that Jesus is indeed “the Rock” – the only solid foundation for every aspect of our lives. Everything else on which we may depend has the potential of failing us, but He will never leave us on our own (Hebrews 13:5). Those of us who have been nursing mothers know that we couldn’t go very long away from our babies without strong (even painful) physical reminders, right? Isaiah 49:14-16 describes God’s inability to forget us as even stronger and more powerful than that! 

A second effective prevention of spiritual amnesia is worship. Psalm 103:2 prescribes, “Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all His benefits.” Both personal and corporate worship nourishes our soul’s memories and brings spiritual reality into clearer focus. Our hearts are constantly re-invigorated as we are reminded of God’s mercy, love, beauty, holiness, and sovereignty.  In the same way as daily multi-vitamins are recommended for physical health, daily doses of worship of the Lord are essential for spiritual health and growth. Just as it doesn’t take long to swallow a pill, it need not take long to have a few minutes in prayer and worship each morning before our day begins. 

God always remembers us; may He help us to always remember Him!