February 14

Written by Bill Grandi on February 14th, 2019

My title is Remembering vs Forgetting.

It was like the perfect storm this morning. Two separate passages colliding into one grand theme. I’ve been reading daily from the OT (started last November after I finished the NT). After the long, seemingly mind-numbing journey through Leviticus and Numbers, I’m now in Deuteronomy. In chapter 2 Moses is recounting their wilderness years. I’m okay with that (too bad if not right? 🙂 ) and, as I read, several times God tells Moses to tell the people of Israel not to fight certain people groups. The people of Esau. The people of Moab. The people of Ammon. God gives the reason for not fighting them: “I have given (the land) as a possession.” The land around Mount Seir was given to Easu’s people. Moab because of Lot (Abraham’s nephew). Ammon because of Lot. The circumstances surround those people groups may be dubious (disregarding a birthright and incest), but that did not change one thing: God’s promise. I started thinking, “If God would keep His promise to them years later, how could I ever think He would forget His promises to me?”

Then I read Psalm 77. Asaph is struggling, but then in verse 10 he says some profound words: “I will appeal to this, to the years of the right hand of the Most High.” Then verse 11: “I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your wonders of old.”

Asaph was banking on the God he remembered from the past. The God who kept and keeps His promises. I will do well to follow Asaph’s lead. It is so easy to get overwhelmed and swamped and forget God’s goodness and promises (and that He keeps them), even many years later.

“Father, thank you for memory. Thank you for jogging that memory of recounting to Moses the promises and provision you made. Let me be like Asaph and remember what you have done.”

 

7 Comments so far ↓

  1. Ryan S says:

    Good thoughts this morning… I tend to forget, especially when stuck in the much. It’s good to hold on to the promises of God especially when I am stuck. He may be the only one able to “unstuck” me.

    • Bill Grandi says:

      i would affirm the “He may be the only one able to unstuck me.” I make a mess of it when I try to do it myself.

  2. Glynn says:

    I read Leviticus and Numbers last year, and they did get a bit numbing after a while.

    You can imagine the reaction of the people of Israel to the instruction not to fight Esau, Moab, and Ammon. “I thought we were promised the lan.? You mean they were promised land, too?” No wonder the instruction had to be repeated.

    • Bill Grandi says:

      Glad I’m not alone is my assessment of those two books. 🙂 As for the other comment: made me chuckle. My imagination goes wild on that possible scenario. Thanks Glynn.

  3. Yes, God never goes back on His promises, and we would all do well to remember that.
    Blessings, Bill!

  4. floyd samons says:

    Good thoughts and words, Bill. The words that Christ said came to mind about the flowers of the fields and the birds of the air and how much more our Father cares for us. And yet we stress over things He’s promised… God help us…