Thinking of what Moses said

I realize it's been a while since I have been on here and yes, I have a lot to report etc. but really this post is one of those that wants to leap from my brain onto this space and it has nothing to do with the day to day of my life. So, hopefully there will be later posts about my time in the states so far, the Passion Conference, life in general but for now it's a little something from Deuts (that is my little pet name for Deuteronomy)

I started reading back through the Old Testament again a few months ago and sometimes I get really bogged down in it. But as I started Deuts (yes I really call it that in my mind) I was thinking..."ok, so Moses is pretty much on the way out here. he's talked to God a bunch, his people are about to get their land of milk and honey, what will Moses talk to them about as he prepares to leave them for good?" And I am actually only into Chapter 10 of Deuts so i have a ways to go but so far I have noticed Moses just hammering home this one point over and over and over again...I mean it's crazy obvious...he's really wanting to make a point...this is serious...he's knocking on deaths door and can basically say what he thinks is most important.... Well he says essentially the same thing in a few different ways but as i read it I think, "oh my gosh, this is really important! Good call Moses! High Five!" (ok, maybe I wouldn't high five Moses).

Over and over and over again Moses essentially says "people! don't forget to remember and be careful!" Through chapters 4-10 Moses is kind of repetative...
Deuts 4:15-20 "Therefor watch yourselves very carefully, so that you do not become corrupt and make for yourselves an idol...do not be enticed...
Deuts 4:23 "Be careful not to forget the covenant of the Lord your God that he made with you...
Deuts 5:32 "So be careful to do what the Lord your God has commanded you; do not turn aside to the right or to the left."
Deuts 6:6-9 "These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie doen and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates."
Deuts 6:12 "be careful that you do not forget the Lord, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery"
Deuts 8:10-14 "When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the Lord yor God for the good land he has given you. Be careful that you do not forget the Lord your God, failing to observe his commands, his laws and his decrees that i am giving you this day. Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses and settle down, and when your herds and flocks increase and all you have is multiplied, then your heart will become proud and you will forget the Lord your God"

DONT FORGET!!! Don't forget what the Lord did for you! Don't forget that he is more powerful than you can imagine. Don't forget that he brought you out of slavery! Don't forget that he really really is there and does rescue! Don't forget that all the good stuff you have is from HIM! Don't forget who he is and what he has done!

BE CAREFUL!!! Be careful about remembering all God has done. Make a point to remind yourself, your children, anyone that meets you! Be careful to listen to God and follow him! Be careful not to turn away even just a little bit

Why was Moses so emphatic? Why did he suggest crazy things like tying stuff to your forehead to remind you of something? It's because forgetting about the Lord, and turning away from him, and pride, and apathy are ABSOLUTE CERTAINTIES if we don't. It's not, "hey, maybe it'd be a good idea to write this stuff down b/c sometimes stupid people (of course not you but you know who i mean) will forget and get the God thing all wrong and wander off" but in fact it is a sure thing that WE (you and me) WILL FORGET. We will forget, we WILL be enticed, we WILL move the wrong way, we WILL become proud. It's just a fact. If you aren't careful, if you don't remember not to forget, you will forget, you will turn to the left or the right...it's how humans are.

I sort of coast through life sometimes thinking "for goodness sakes, how could i forget? I am not an idiot. sure sure, God is super great, forgives sins, delivers me from slavery yeah yeah...I got it" And then i turn to the left or the right and suddenly I don't got it. And I wonder why! It's because that is what happens when you aren't careful, when you don't remind yourself who God is and who he has been in your life and where he has brought you from and where he has promised to bring you to. And again I find myself no different than these Israelites...forgetting to remember, and being "uncareful" with my relationship with God. It happened to people who followed God around as a pillar of fire...what makes me think it wouldn't happen to me as well.

That is why we are told over and over again to look at Jesus. To fix our eyes on Him as the author and perfecter of our faith. look at Christ, at the Lord and to walk that line moving forward, not left or right but directly towards the Truth of who he is, what he has done and what he has promised!