12 Then beware lest thou forget the Lord, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage. 13 Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God, and serve him, and shalt swear by his name.
Deuteronomy 6:12-13
Explanation
As we learned yesterday, God can be trusted. He keeps His Word. God also is a God who blesses. God had certainly blessed the children of Israel. He had brought them out of Egypt and the bondage that was there. He had provided manna, quail, and water to sustain them in the desert. He had protected and provided for them. Now he was going to give them this land that He had promised to them and to their forefathers.
But with blessing comes a temptation. Moses tells them to be aware that blessing can make one forget the source of the blessing. He was concerned that they would begin to think that they were the source of the good things they had rather than God.
Instead of forgetting the Lord, Moses called on them to fear the Lord.
Application
We are so blessed where I live. I have so much. God has blessed me with a rich heritage and access to the Gospel. I have a comfortable home, a great family, a great church, a fulfilling and challenging job, and really don’t lack for any needs, and most of my wants. If I’m not careful, I will forget the Lord.
How? I begin to think that I’m more than I am. I can grow prideful. I can begin to think that God is really blessed to have me. The truth is that the best of us don’t deserve anything good from God. We were His enemies. We were sinners, but because of God’s great love, He sent His Son to die on the cross so that we can be forgiven, and then we can be made into the likeness of His dear Son.
Instead of forgetting God, I need to fear Him, to serve Him, and to swear allegiance to Him.
Response
- Are there any ways that you are forgetting the Lord in how you live because of the blessings that you have?
- Have you thanked God for your blessings lately? Take time to do that today!
