We are a forgetful people. While we may be good at remembering phone numbers, or friends’ birthdays, or names of people we meet, we often forget something far more important. Our identity.
Usually we can remember our names, the names of our family members, where we work and things of that nature. But often we forget our much deeper identity – children of God.
Sometimes we choose to forget this identity. Difficult things come up in our lives and, in anger, we turn away from God. But often we forget simply because we don’t have things set up in our lives to remind us of who we are.
In Deuteronomy 6 God instructs the Israelites to follow the commands closely – to talk about them at all times – when walking, sitting or lying down – to write the laws on the doorframes of their houses and on their gates so that they would constantly be reminded of their identity – children of God.
In Exodus 12 the Israelites perform a special ceremony – the Passover – reminding them of their identity – children of God.
In Joshua 4 they set up stones as a monument, a symbol of their identity – children of God.
But, the Israelites often forgot their identity as the children of God – as a people who are in a covenant relationship with God. And God was fully aware of this, so God reminds them, “When the LORD your God brings you into the land he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to give you—a land with large, flourishing cities you did not build, houses filled with all kinds of good things you did not provide, wells you did not dig, and vineyards and olive groves you did not plant—then when you eat and are satisfied, be careful that you do not forget the LORD, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.”
It should be no surprise that thousands of years later, we find ourselves encountering the same struggle. In difficult times we often forget God has acted on our behalf to provide the blessings that we do have. And in times of plenty, we forget that it was God, not us, who provided.
So, let us strive to remember our identities as people who were created by God, to love God and to live in obedience to God. Let us establish ways to remind ourselves of God’s faithfulness to us. Let us recount the stories of God’s action on our behalf. Let us gather our purpose and direction in life from our identity – children of God.
Usually we can remember our names, the names of our family members, where we work and things of that nature. But often we forget our much deeper identity – children of God.
Sometimes we choose to forget this identity. Difficult things come up in our lives and, in anger, we turn away from God. But often we forget simply because we don’t have things set up in our lives to remind us of who we are.
In Deuteronomy 6 God instructs the Israelites to follow the commands closely – to talk about them at all times – when walking, sitting or lying down – to write the laws on the doorframes of their houses and on their gates so that they would constantly be reminded of their identity – children of God.
In Exodus 12 the Israelites perform a special ceremony – the Passover – reminding them of their identity – children of God.
In Joshua 4 they set up stones as a monument, a symbol of their identity – children of God.
But, the Israelites often forgot their identity as the children of God – as a people who are in a covenant relationship with God. And God was fully aware of this, so God reminds them, “When the LORD your God brings you into the land he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to give you—a land with large, flourishing cities you did not build, houses filled with all kinds of good things you did not provide, wells you did not dig, and vineyards and olive groves you did not plant—then when you eat and are satisfied, be careful that you do not forget the LORD, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.”
It should be no surprise that thousands of years later, we find ourselves encountering the same struggle. In difficult times we often forget God has acted on our behalf to provide the blessings that we do have. And in times of plenty, we forget that it was God, not us, who provided.
So, let us strive to remember our identities as people who were created by God, to love God and to live in obedience to God. Let us establish ways to remind ourselves of God’s faithfulness to us. Let us recount the stories of God’s action on our behalf. Let us gather our purpose and direction in life from our identity – children of God.
