With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments. Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. (Psa 119:10-11)
One of the joys of parenting is the funny things our kids say and do. One time, Wyatt had forgotten where his snack plate was and when I reminded him, his reaction was hilarious. He was still quite small but it was as if he was conveying “I can’t believe I forgot that!” We all forget things from time to time. Life is busy and at times it can be overwhelming.
One way to deal with this problem is to make a list. No doubt if I went to purchase a few things today and didn’t take a list I would forget a few needed items and add things I don’t need. The Bible is to be our guide (Psa 119:10-11). If we keep the Word in our heart, our actions will be precise and we can keep out what we don’t need and apply ourselves to what is beneficial to ourselves and our fellow man.
One hardly ever forgets what is truly important to them. Jeremiah 2:32 asks, “Can a maid forget her ornaments, or a bride her attire? yet my people have forgotten me days without number”. Sadly, this is why many struggle to live a faithful life. It’s just not that important to them. Here, Jeremiah points out things that we see as once in a lifetime pale in comparison to pleasing God. Nothing is more important than Him.
We forget our past state and being lost in sin (2 Peter 1:9). This verse mentions that this is a short sighted individual. Always remember God, through his Word, declares to us to be a big picture thinker, living our lives in view of eternity. Satan is the one who wants us to forget the big picture and just see what is in front of us for the moment. This is evident in the consistency of his trying of Eve (Gen 3), Job (Job 1 &2), and Christ (Matt 4).
I know I will not forget the Lord if I remember how he has richly blessed my life (Jas 1:17) and if I remember the person I wanted to be the day I obeyed the gospel and made my commitment to him (Rom 6:1-7). Let us never forget who we desire to be in every minute of our lives.
By Jason Barger