Oh! Don't forget...

After wandering in the wilderness for many years, the people of Israel reached the River Jordan and would soon cross over into the land they'd been promised. At this point Moses addresses them and, amongst other things, says...

"Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them fade from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them." Deuteronomy 4:9

Remember. Don't forget. And tell your children what you've seen and experienced.

Every day in the wilderness the Israelites had experienced God's miraculous provision of food in the form of manna. In the morning everyone had gathered as much as they needed for that day - and there was always enough. No one went hungry.

They had also been told not to save any of the manna for the following day - there would be fresh provision of manna the next morning. But there were those who did try to keep some for the following morning - perhaps thinking to themselves, "just in case!" But what they kept only ended up full of maggots and smelling! They should have listened to God!

God faithfully provided all that was needed, every day.

The exception to this was the Sabbath. The Israelites gathered twice as much manna the day before, so that they would not be gathering on the Sabbath itself. And this time, the extra amount that they kept for the Sabbath did not go bad!

We can read the account of all this in Exodus 16.

What the Israelites experienced was amazing! Daily, without fail, they experienced God's love and faithfulness in providing the food they needed. Always enough. Never a lack. For years!

And as they are about to move on into the promised land, Moses urges them not to forget!

Moses must have known how easy it is to forget, and he's urging them to remember! To keep telling the story! Don't forget!

We might be tempted to think, "how could they possibly forget something so amazing?!"

But forgetting is easy. And I know I must work hard at not forgetting, at remembering what I've seen and experienced of God.

Journals can help. But sometimes just telling others the story helps to keep it fresh too.

"do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them fade from your heart as long as you live"

What have you seen of God in recent days, and over the years?

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Credits: Bible quotes are from the English Standard Version (ESV), and photos are via Unsplash.