Don't Forget!

One of the chief threats to the Israelites as they took the land that God had given to them was that they would forget. God warned them about this in Deuteronomy 8:17-19 and 9:4-6. The exhortation of the Israelites as they entered into the land was to remember that it wasn't because of their strength that they were taking the land, and it wasn't because of their holiness or goodness as a people that God was giving it to them. It was because of HIS faithfulness. The second they started thinking about how great they were, how worthy or how strong they would lose sight of the Lord and all reality. This would disrupt their fellowship with God and result in the introduction of divine discipline in their lives.

This is very similar to something that Jesus said in a passage that we will be studying shortly in the main service. When addressing the Church at Ephesus the Lord rebuked them for "leaving their first love." The corrective exhortation that the Lord had for them is as follows: "Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place--unless you repent." (Revelation 2:5)

We are a forgetful people, and just as the Israelites were easily seduced to forget that it was God that gave them the land, and placed them in it, we can neglect to remember the wonderful gift of the relationship that God has given us in Jesus Christ. This is why it is so very important to be in fellowship, prayer and Bible study regularly. So that we can be always remembering the love with which is IS LOVING US each day.