Forgetting to Remember
Opening Prayer
What lessons have you forgotten as you have journeyed with God? Ask for help to remember, so they are not wasted.
Read Psalm 78:17-31
[17] But they continued to sin against him, rebelling in the wilderness against the Most High. [18] They willfully put God to the test by demanding the food they craved. [19] They spoke against God; they said, “Can God really spread a table in the wilderness? [20] True, he struck the rock, and water gushed out, streams flowed abundantly, but can he also give us bread? Can he supply meat for his people?” [21] When the LORD heard them, he was furious; his fire broke out against Jacob, and his wrath rose against Israel, [22] for they did not believe in God or trust in his deliverance. [23] Yet he gave a command to the skies above and opened the doors of the heavens; [24] he rained down manna for the people to eat, he gave them the grain of heaven. [25] Human beings ate the bread of angels; he sent them all the food they could eat. [26] He let loose the east wind from the heavens and by his power made the south wind blow. [27] He rained meat down on them like dust, birds like sand on the seashore. [28] He made them come down inside their camp, all around their tents. [29] They ate till they were gorged- he had given them what they craved. [30] But before they turned from what they craved, even while the food was still in their mouths, [31] God’s anger rose against them; he put to death the sturdiest among them, cutting down the young men of Israel. Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. All rights reserved throughout the world. Used by permission of International Bible Society.
Reflect
What was the big problem here (18,19)?History is often seen as irrelevant, harking back to the past. Henry Ford even called it “bunk”! But in the Bible, history has a purpose. One writer describes it as a compass, “and who would use a compass only to ascertain from where he or she has come?” (David Bosch, Transforming Mission). History points the way forward. So this psalm is about the lessons we need to pass on to our children, the next generation (1-8). God warns future generations about where the Israelites went wrong. They continued to sin despite what God had done for them (17). They tested God willfully (18). They spoke against God (19). They did not trust in God’s deliverance (22). Are those sins unique to the Israelites, or can we see them in our own lives? But this psalm doesn’t just describe what happened; it also explains why. A key word of explanation is that future generations “forgot” (11). Have these readings reminded you of important things that you have forgotten? How can you etch them in your memory?
Apply
What would you want future generations to know about God? Take time to remember what God’s done in your life.
Closing prayer
Gracious Lord, forgive me when I forget or take for granted Your goodness to me. May I remember and be grateful.
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