S207P8 – The roots of falling short: forgetting God’s good work

Deu. 1:29-33

Then I said to you, “Do not be terrified, or afraid of them. The Lord your God, who goes before you, He will fight for you, according to all He did for you in Egypt before your eyes, and in the wilderness where you saw how the Lord your God carried you, as a man carries his son, in all the way that you went until you came to this place.” Yet, for all that, you did not believe the Lord your God, who went in the way before you to search out a place for you to pitch your tents, to show you the way you should go, in the fire by night and in the cloud by day.

A pastor of mine told the congregation an incredible story one day.  He had been in a church leadership meeting years earlier when the conversation was interrupted by the figure of Jesus mounted on a horse.  He initially thought that he alone had witnessed this vision, but it soon became clear that the others in the room also saw it.  They went hush for several moments as everyone tried to digest what they had seen.  It was a blessing and also a spiritual confirmation for that group that day, but this incredible event soon would become hazy for some.  In fact, a number of people in that meeting would turn from God in time for one reason or another and completely forget that their Savior had appeared to them so vividly once.

We encounter God in many incredible and miraculous ways during our lifetimes.  The nation of Israel certainly saw his mighty power manifest many times in a manner we cannot imagine.  From impossible deliverance to miraculous provision, the Lord kept them regularly.  He appeared to them in different forms and spoke to them through Moses and others.  Yes, Israel endured many hardships, but God always came through for them even when their plight was of their own making.  Yet, time after time they seemed to forget his works and again disobey for lack of trust.  When Moses took a stand to remind them why they should listen and obey, he also was sending a message to us of the power and importance of revisiting God’s work in our lives. 

I do not know about your lives, but the challenges in my life seem to progress on a gradient over time.  More difficult times will pop up, and it is important for me to look back at how God has worked in my life all these years to bring me through adversity without fail.  These retrospective glances are a tool for encouragement and the building of faith.  When we remember the miraculous things which God already has done, it gives us confidence that He can conquer that which stands before us today.  If we forget the good work He has completed in our lives, we run the risk of simply forgetting about him altogether.  Father, remind us daily of what You have accomplished in our lives, and give us confidence that You can do infinitely more still.