DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- FORGETTING GOD

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – FORGETTING GOD

" 'Beware that you do not forget the Lord your God by not keeping His commandments, His judgments, and His statutes which I command you today, lest – when you have eaten and are full, and have built beautiful houses and dwell in them; and when you herds and your flocks multiply, and your silver and your gold are multiplied, and all that you have is multiplied; when your heart is lifted up, and you forget the LORD your God....then you say in your heart, "My power and the might of my hand have gained me this wealth." And you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth.' "

(Deuteronomy 8:11-14a, 17-18a)

God gives warning like this because He knows how prone we are to get our eyes on things instead of Himself. We get so involved in life that we forget God.

Moses listed some things that distract us from keeping God first in our lives. First is a full stomach. Who needs God when we have all the food we need? Hunger sometimes makes people turn to God. Then there are houses and material things. When we have a life of comfort, we forget God. Or maybe it is success in our careers. For the Israelites, it may have been herds and flocks. With us, it may be being top salesman, owning our own company, or success in a thousand other occupations. For some, it is a full bank account. Who needs God when we have financial success and freedom?

In all of these scenarios, we forget that God gave us the ability and insight to be successful. When we forget God, we think that our prosperity is a result of our own work, sweat, and ingenuity. God gets left behind.

Jesus gave a parable of the seed sown on various kinds of soil. Of particular interest is the third kind of soil. It was good soil, but it also grew weeds which choked out the good plants. Jesus explained that the weeds are the cares if this world (which are the natural products of owning things), the deceitfulness of riches and the greedy desire for material things, and the pleasures of life (Mark 4:19; Luke 8:14).

This is a word for us. When we have attained the "good life," we need to remember that it is all a gift from God, lest we forget Him and His goodness.

Love, Dad