Happy NotForgetsfuliving!

I have a low reading comprehension. I can finish reading a paragraph and totally forget what it was about. I space out. I know  many people do that. It’s gotten a lot better recently since I’ve been reading more and it certainly helps if I’m reading something that I enjoy.

When you read a book, it’s usually done in large chunks where you sit down and power through whole sections or whole books. However, in the style of the Word of Life Quiet Time you go through the Bible, seemingly in slow motion, as you have just a few sentences per day. My Quiet Time has been in the book of Numbers recently, and when you have just a few sentences per day in the historical and narrative-type books it causes you to ponder more at things you might not normally pay attention to when reading straight through.

In Numbers 11, Israel was whining, because of the monotonous manna that God provided for them. He sent them sustenance that literally fell from the sky, but they complained because they got bored with it.  So God sent quail. Lots and lots of quail. Were they happy then? Well I guess a little too happy because they got gluttonous.

I can’t say that I blame them. I would not do well with eating the same thing everyday and I would probably indulge too much if a sudden meat option suddenly appeared. It must have tasted like chicken.  Lol

God loves His people. He listens. He responds. But He certainly doesn’t reward an unthankful or indulgent spirit. In these stories He punished the whiners and the gluttons. Thankfully He doesn’t deal with us today the same as He did with Israel in the Old Testament.

Wendell Calder always says: “The best commentary on Scripture is Scripture.”

Psalm 106 gives us some insight and commentary into what was happening in the minds of Moses, Israel, and God during their journey through the wilderness. In a nutshell, Israel forgot Gods goodness. They forgot and kept on forgetting. At least 3 times in that Psalm it mentions how Israel forgot Gods promises and His goodness.

1. With the exodus from Egypt and the Red Sea miracle, v 7 says that ” …they did not remember the abundance of your steadfast love…”

2. Amidst provision of manna and even quail, v. 13 says that “…they soon forgot His works…“

3. As proved by their creation of the Golden Calf, v. 21 says that, “They forgot God, their Savior…“

But thankfully, God never forgot His promise to them. And He still hasn’t forgotten about it!

Psalm 106:45  “for their sake he remembered his covenant and out of his great love he relented.”

He remembered His promise and He showed mercy.

We could probably recount times in our lives when God has indeed provided for us, even in miraculous ways, we too tend to forget all too often.  Let’s make sure this thanksgiving season that we don’t forget what God has done for us; may we always remember from where He has brought us as believers and what He has promised for those that love Him. Live thankfully, not forgetfully.

Instead of making a list of things we are thankful for, let’s make a list of things we can not and should never forget. Paper never forgets.

#numbers #psalms #quiettime #thanksgiving