Remember Him When You're Full

 Goodness!  I DO apologize for not keeping up with "Reflections".  Where has the time gone?!  If it wasn't for the few people who asked about it, I would've spaced it out.  Is that what menopause does to your mind? 

I've ALWAYS kept my planner updated.  I write down everything that needs to be done and also what I've accomplished or just touched on.  But lately, I haven't even been keeping up with that.  What gives?  And you want to know something strange?  I had some paperwork that needed to meet a deadline.  I remember when it arrived in the mail, I read it THREE times and wrote it down in my planner.  "due by May 16th".  

I remember thinking how strange that they gave me two weeks to complete it, when in the past it was always one week (hence why I checked it more than once to make sure).  So, yesterday, after spending half the day at the courthouse (don't worry, I was summoned for jury duty...which, by the grace of God, I was released from.  YAY!)... I got home, sat down to complete it, and read it again to see it was due on MAY 8TH!  I almost cried, because I KNOW I read the 16th! I read it THREE times! That's enough to make one think they're losing their mind.  

So...with THAT out of the way, let's move on to this week's "Reflection." :)  

This week, we are reading Deuteronomy 6-8 and it will really make you stop and think, especially when you look at what it says about remembering God.    

Because one thing I noticed is that God already knows how quickly people forget. (Pretty timely, considering...eh?)

Not necessarily forget like, “I have no idea who God is anymore.” But forget in the everyday kind of way. 

Forget in the busy kind of way. 

Forget in the comfortable kind of way. 

Forget when life starts settling down and the pressure lets up a little.  Are you following what I'm getting at?

THAT is the part that stood out to me.

In Deuteronomy 6-8, God keeps bringing His people back to remembrance, doesn't He?

Remember His commandments. 

Remember what He brought you out of. 

Remember how He led you. 

Remember how He fed you. 

Remember that it was Him who carried you through the wilderness. 

Remember that you did not get where you are by your own strength.

Isn’t that something?

Because sometimes the danger is not ONLY in the wilderness. 

Sometimes......the danger is after it.

When they were hungry, they knew they needed God. 

When they were wandering, they knew they needed direction. 

When they had no water, no food, no certainty, no settled place, they knew they couldn't do it without Him.

But.....God warned them about the day when they would be full.

When thou hast eaten and art full, then thou shalt bless the LORD thy God…
Deuteronomy 8:10

Because God knew that full bellies, nice houses, increase, comfort, and answered prayers could become dangerous if they started enjoying the gift while forgetting the gift-giver.

And I don’t know about you, but I can see how easy that could be.

We pray and cry and seek God when we need Him to open a door, make a way, provide, heal, strengthen, deliver, restore, or carry us through something we can't carry ourselves through. And then when He does it, life moves on. We get busy, settle into the blessing, and start managing the thing we once begged God for.

And if we aren't careful, we can begin to think our own hands got us there!

But Deuteronomy reminds us that remembering God isn't just about looking back with warm feelings. 

It is obedience. 

It's humility. 

It's worship. 

It's protection.

Remembering keeps our hearts soft.

Remembering keeps pride from sneaking in.

Remembering keeps us from acting like we built a life God actually gave us the strength to build.

Deuteronomy 8:18 says, “But thou shalt remember the LORD thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth…”

That tells me that even the strength, ability, wisdom, endurance, and opportunity we have comes from Him.

Remembering God is not optional for the believer, it's necessary.

Because if I forget what He brought me out of, I may stop being grateful.

If I forget how He kept me, I may start giving myself too much credit.

If I forget His Word, I may start drifting into my own way of thinking.

If I forget His faithfulness, I may panic the next time I am in a wilderness.

And if I forget that everything that I have comes through His hand, I may start holding His blessings with pride instead of gratitude.

So I WANT to remember.  

And not just when I'm in need, but when I'm full.

Not just when I'm crying, but when I'm laughing too.

Not just when I'm in the wilderness, but when I'm standing in answered prayer.

Because.... the SAME God who brought me through ALL of the hard places is the God I STILL need in the good places.

And maybe....that is the reminder for all of us this week?

Don’t let comfort make you forgetful.

Don’t let increase make you proud.

Don’t let answered prayers become ordinary.

Remember the Lord.

Remember His Word.

Remember His mercy.

Remember His correction.

Remember His provision.

Remember how He led you when you did not know the way.

Because if we keep remembering Him, we will keep recognizing Him. And if we keep recognizing Him, we will keep giving Him the glory He was worthy of all along.

Next weeks Reflection: Psalm 119:1-16 and 33-40. 
Don't worry, it's in my planner to write about it.  :)