How Quickly We Forget

I'm sure we don't mean to, but sometimes it seems like it is so easy to take our eyes off of God and begin to focus on what is happening around us.

I've recently been reading a little bit about the children of Israel when Moses led them out of Egypt and into the desert in (beginning in Exodus 14). They left Egypt knowing that God had miraculously changed Pharoah's heart, but the moment they saw the Egyptians chasing after them, they forgot what God had just done and cried out in panic. After their miraculous crossing of the Red Sea on dry ground (and seeing the Egyptian army destroyed when the waters came crashing back down on them), they grew thirsty and hungry. Forgetting the power and might that God had just demonstrated at the Red Sea, they again began to grumble and complain. So God miraculously provided water, mannah and quail. It didn't take long before they were whining about something else.

Sometimes when I read this passage in the Bible, I really just shake my head and think, "What was wrong with those people? Couldn't they even trust God for a few days...especially after seeing the miracles He performed on a regular basis in their presence?"

Then this morning, I was in Leviticus 19 reading through the list of commands that God had given the people - both for day-to-day living and for spiritual living. I began to notice that often God says, "I am the LORD your God" or "I am LORD" and I began to wonder why God was repeating himself so often with these words. Then, I realized that it was most likely because the Israelites so easily and quickly forgot who God was.

Sometimes I like to imagine what it could have been like way back then to see the presence of God so clearly - the Israelites had the pillar of fire and the cloud that traveled with them showing them where to go. (Sometimes I wish God was that clear in directing my steps!) It's easy to imagine that we surely would have been able to stay connected and focused on God if we lived back then. But I wonder if that truly is the case.

The same God who led the Israelites back then IS the same God we follow and worship today. As Christians, we don't have to look to a pillar of fire or cloud to be reminded of God's presence. In this day and age, we have the presence of the Holy Spirit dwelling within us. We have something so much better than the Israelites had.

So then why do we still struggle to follow God as we should? Because we are still human -- we are still plagued with the sin nature we were born with. As believers, we have the power of the Holy Spirit within us to overcome sin, but we are still a work in progress...our selfish, human side still can demand its own way over the better way God planned for us. The Holy Spirit in us makes it easier to hear God's voice, to recognize his hand on our lives, but until we get to heaven and this fleshly body is replaced by a glorified one, the struggle will remain.

So, it is a constant reminder that he is the LORD our God...he is the LORD. In everything we do, he is the LORD. Whether it is fixing breakfast and shuttling kids off to school, or going to work and dealing with difficult co-workers, he is the LORD. Whether we are dealing with stress or it seems like the pieces of the puzzle are falling together wonderfully, he is the LORD. Whether we are feeling like we are on a spiritual high or struggling to see God in the situation, he is the LORD. In every circumstance of our lives, he is the LORD. Let's not forget. We can't forget. We must remember that he is the LORD our God...the one who provides, protects, restores and renews.

He is the same God who provided the Israelites with mannah. He will also provide for us.