The title of my oil painting shown above is "Forget Me Not". I have posted it here previously, but felt it appropriate to use it again as this writing will be about how we should not forget the good Lord. In this painting, there is much symbolism. The blue flowers on the cup and saucer are forget-me-not blossoms; the yellow peace rose symbolizes the peace that comes from the Lord, and it is sitting in a vase containing living water from Him; the eyeglasses are a reminder to read God's Holy Word; and the red rose symbolizes Jesus' shed blood at Calvary.
"Beware that thou forget not the LORD thy God, in not keeping His commandments, and His judgments, and His statutes, which I command thee this day:" - Deuteronomy 8:11
Moses gave the above warning to the Jewish people, for he knew there was a very real danger that when they became prosperous they would forget God who had given them so many blessings and would rather begin to commend themselves. Not that they would forget God altogether, but they would forget their covenant responsibility. Their forgetfulness would show up when they did not keep the Lord's commandments and His ordinances and statutes.
What about us today? Sure, we enjoy our attendance at worship, but how genuine are we? We show our faith and that we still remember the Lord by living a godly, surrendered life to Christ, full of faith and joy and hope. By living our lives in obedience to Him, we demonstrate that we have not forgotten Him.
"And it shall be, if thou do at all forget the LORD thy God, and walk after other gods, and serve them, and worship them, I testify against you this day that ye shall surely perish." - Deuteronomy 8:19
It is in man's nature to always worship something, and it was no different back in Moses' day. It was apparent to Moses that if they forgot the good Lord, they would soon turn to other gods. "They would find the easy going gods of the land preferable. Man loves to worship something, but he prefers it not be too demanding."
Today - especially in the Western world - men are wealthy compared to most of the rest of the world. This prosperity has made many to succumb to greed and always wanting more, more, more. They display no gratitude to God for His many blessings. So we have our idols as well: musicians, money, movie stars, materialism and on and on. Many are thereby destroying their souls and the souls of others, because all of this idolatry leads them into behavior which displeases God; and it is also harmful to themselves. The very prosperity which is the gift of God is too often the reason for the heart to become lifted up where one forgets the Giver.
"Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits." - Psalm 103:2
This past week, I was reading a Charles Spurgeon devotion and felt the desire to post some of what he said; so here it is:
"It seems then, that Christians may forget Christ! ..... It appears almost impossible that those who have been redeemed by the blood of the dying Lamb, and loved with an everlasting love by the eternal Son of God, should forget that gracious Savior....... Forget Him who never forgot us! Forget Him who poured His blood forth for our sins! Forget Him who loved us even to the death! Can it be possible? ......... Let us charge ourselves to bind a heavenly forget-me-not about our hearts for Jesus our Beloved, and, whatever else we let slip, let us hold fast to HIM."
If Christians have a difficult time following and remembering the good Lord, where does that leave the lost and unbelieving? They are just that - lost and doomed unless they turn to Jesus and repent and believe in Christ as their Savior, and become redeemed by His shed blood at Calvary.
God is full of tender mercies and the Bible tells us that God is love (1 John 4:8). Jesus is full of love for mankind - He died for us! He is waiting for unbelievers to repent and to believe He is the Savior and to turn to Him in full surrender and He will forgive their sins and wipe the slate clean. No more burden of guilt and no more living in sin and darkness. You will be free from the devil's control over you! You will experience a true peace from the Lord and you will have a hope and a purpose. It frees the soul to live for the good Lord !
"I will remember the works of the LORD: Surely I will remember Thy wonders of old." - Psalm 77:11
"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." - John 3:16
"Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." - John 3:3
"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me." - John 14:6
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