Because We’re A Forgetful People…
During the years that I worked toward my master’s degree, one of my professors drilled the following into us, his students.
“We are a forgetful people, we must daily (and, sometimes, more than once a day) remind ourselves just who our God is and what He has done for us.”
Because he correctly nailed the potential for spiritual amnesia among his students, there are days, I completely forget to do what I was instructed not to forget, and, I forget.
God understands (after all, He made us), so He puts the word “remember” into the Bible over 1200 times (this # depends on your translation).
Here’s a taste of a smattering of those passages:
Take care lest you forget your God…(Deuteronomy 6:12)
Remember the former things of old, for I am your God, and there is no other; I am God and there is none like me…(Isaiah 46:9)
I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your wonders of old…(Psalm 77:11)
Remember the wondrous works that He has done, His miracles and the judgments He has uttered (1 Chronicles 16:12).
In the same way, also, after supper, He took the cup, saying, “This is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me…(1 Corinthians 11:25).
So lately, I’ve been taking this mandate to heart, and find the cure for spiritual amnesia to be worship…to simply take a few minutes each morning prior to my quiet time to jot down some of the aspects of God’s character (who He is and how He has worked in our lives), so that I can focus more intentionally throughout the day.
It’s a great exercise!
Over the last week, I’ve sensed the Lord whispering into my soul (not audibly, just a tug on my heart), “remind those to whom you speak to ‘remember,’ as well.”
With this in mind, I did a little informal survey, asking the question, “What aspects of your God do you appreciate most? Or, what one word do you use to describe Him?”
Here is the short list that garnered the most responses:
Loving
Compassionate
Gentle
Savior
Good Shepherd
Faithful
Kind
Grace-filled
Oh, yes! He is all of those in spades.
I even asked ChatGPT to give me one word to describe the God of the Bible. Actually, AI had the best answer:
INEFFABLE!
He is, indeed, so great there are absolutely no words adequate enough to define Him. That’s my God!
In the journaling, reflecting, pondering, I knew there was just SO! MUCH! MORE! to our God than we tend to even think or imagine.
I began to list a few more things that my God is (these aren’t in any order)…
Untamable
Uncontainable
Unstoppable
Surprising
Constant
Unimaginable
Unpredictable (in action, but predictable in character – the same yesterday, today, forever!)
All-powerful
Unfailing
Fearsome
Holy
Undefiled
Unbridled
Unfettered
Undomesticated
Uncultivated
Unsubdued
Uncontrollable
Unseen (yet, strangely enough – SEEN)
Unknown (yet, strangely enough – KNOWN)
The One who will one day set all things RIGHT! RIGHTEOUS JUDGE!
…and, because He is all these things, I am UNABLE to wrap my mind around this God I bow the knee to and serve.
If I had to pick one word to describe Him, well, it would be a toss up between MYSTERIOUS and WILD!
I’m certain, like me, you noted all those “un” prefixes above.
“UN,” meaning not, or opposite of.
Like 7-up, the “un-cola,” my GOD is the “un-god…”
He is not like any little ‘g’ god I might conjure up to bring me happiness – money, family, home, security, ministry, influence, health, looks…____________________ (fill in the blank).
BUT,
BECAUSE HE IS an “UN-god,”
I CAN TRUST HIM WITH MY EVERYTHING!
That’s why my professor wanted me to remember to never forget who my God is and what He has done for me.
IN REMEMBERING, I TRUST HIM.
IN FORGETTING, I fail to trust Him, and spend my life fretting over the things that do not matter.
IN REMEMBERING GOD STAYS IN PROPER PERSPECTIVE TO ALL MY PROBLEMS:
He is oh-so-big and oh-so-mighty…
& they are oh-so-small!
