How can we possibly forget all the many ways God has saved us?
By Dean Collins
Can you even imagine what it would have been like to experience the miracles the Israelites saw as Moses led them out of Egypt and eventually to the Promised Land?
Psalm 106 brings these images to mind. God rebuked the Red Sea, and it became dry land. God saved them from their enemies and had the waters crash in on those who pursued them. And when it happened, they spontaneously sang songs of praise.
God repeatedly provided for his children in the wilderness. Manna, quail, water from a rock, evidence of the harvest they would receive when Joshua and Caleb came back from spying with fresh fruit and food in abundance. But then the psalmist records these sad words in verse 13: “But they soon forgot his works; they did not wait for his counsel.”
Ugh. We wonder how they could possibly forget what God had done for them. And what about you and me? Between us, we could tell hours and hours of stories of the many times and the many ways God has blessed us. We each have stories of when God showed up with exactly the help, the treatment, the friend, the food, the money, and on and on.
And then a day or two passes, maybe a week or more, and we hit a wall. Life is once again hard. There is an unexpected illness. An unforeseen expense. A breach in a relationship that came from a betrayal. And in our grief and struggle, we soon forget the many loving and powerful works of our Heavenly Father from days gone by.
Other solutions?
Like the Israelites of old we look for other solutions. We conjure up new plans without as much as a prayer for wisdom or help. We turn to our financial advisors, our therapist, our friends, or to the latest idea we find on someone’s social media page, and we exchange God’s answers for cheap tricks that will not last. Don’t misunderstand. I am not saying God might not choose to use others to help us. He often does. The danger is forgetting to go to God first and to trust him to provide the path forward and the help we need in times of need.
Quick to respond!
But there is good news waiting in this psalm as we read to the end. Even though we, along with the Israelites of old, often forget, God never forgets. God still looks on us and sees our trouble.
“Nevertheless, he looked upon their distress, when he heard their cry. For their sake he remembered his covenant, and relented according to the abundance of his steadfast love. He caused them to be pitied by all those who held them captive.”
When God hears our cry for help, he is quick to respond and acts on his promises. His steadfast love is available to us in every moment. And he is capable and willing to help us and rescue us in our time of need. The psalmist records a simple and direct prayer we can use today and every day: “Save us O Lord.” And when God rushes into our situation, may we like the Israelites of old shout and sing his praises.
Lord, we are thankful for the many times you have rescued us! Thank you for your daily mercies and for your fresh outpouring of love each day. Forgive us for forgetting you are with us when we wander off trying to do things the long and stubborn way. We repent and today turn back to you, knowing that you are with us and will provide for our every need. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Your time with God’s Word
Psalm 106 ESV
Photo by Joshua Rawson-Harris on Unsplash
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