Never forget!

Never forget!


All the commandments which I command thee this day shall ye observe to do, that ye may live, and multiply, and go in and possess the land which the LORD sware unto your fathers. And thou shalt remember all the way which the LORD thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no. And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live. (Deuteronomy 8:1-3)

In this chapter and in these first three verses, Moses brings a reminder to the nation of . He is reminding of how God took a people in bondage and listened to their cries. He then took them into the wilderness where they might learn to depend upon God’s provision for their needs. Again and again, Moses reminds them how God humbled them that they might recognize that their God was faithful to provide for their every need. Moses also reminded the nation of Yahweh’s (the redemptive name of God) unfailing love for those with no protector, and how He showed this people undeserved mercy in bringing them out of bondage.

People do forget!! When we are going through distress, misfortune, mishap or other unpleasant circumstances, we tend to cry out to God, but when everything is better we almost forget that we know how to pray. This was the point of Moses sermon. They had been in the wilderness a long time and the whole time, God totally provided for them. This made it easy for them to depend on God. It is simpler to trust God when there is no other way to live. Moses’ warning was meant to bring the people into preparation for the time that was coming - God’s blessing and provision. He knew that if they could remember the things God had done for them, even in the promise land they would still cry out to Yahweh for aid in those times of need. They were to remember manna in the wilderness and water in barren and dry places. He also wanted them to remember how for forty years their clothes did not get old and they didn’t have to buy new shoes for their feet. He wanted them to never forget - what God had one. “But without faith it is impossible to please him:” (Hebrews 11:6a).


Where do we lose our faith in God? Most people might say it is when we go through such tremendous trouble, pain, distress, and hardship. I believe that our faith is more quickly lost during times of comfort, abundance, and material blessing. During these times, you don’t have to cry out and have faith in God for what you already have. Moses did not worry about the people losing their faith when the water ran out or when there was nothing to eat, but he did know that once they were in the promise land - It might be different. “Beware that thou forget not the LORD thy God” (vs. 11). We should always remember God’s blessings, and never forget what he’s done for us, and where he brought us from.