Deuteronomy 6:1-15
Throughout the history of God’s people there has been a prevailing trend: when times are tough, we turn to God and seek the divine favor; when times are good, however, it is very easy for us to forget God’s presence or that we ever needed God in the first place. The writer of Deuteronomy warned against just such a turn of events. “When the Lord your God has brought you into the land that he swore to your ancestors,” we read, “to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give you…take care that you do not forget the Lord, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery” (Deuteronomy 6:10a, 12).
“Take care that you do not forget the Lord.” These are telling words that go straight to the heart of contemporary life. It is so easy in our consumer-driven culture, in this age of the self-made individual, to take credit for who we are and for the blessings we’ve received as if we have done it all by ourselves. Not only does this put us at odds with the divine will, but it also tears at the very fabric of the community of faith. One of the realities that binds us together as Christians is the recognition of our profound need for God and for one another. To forget God, then, is also to forget those around us, their needs and aspirations, their challenges and sorrows. A call to remember the Lord at all times, then is also a call to remember one another. And not just to remember each other, but to continue to care for and show compassion to others as well.
We are blessed in many ways by a God who loves us, watches over us, and, when need be, judges and corrects us. If we forget this, we lose an essential aspect of who we are.
Prayer: Lord God, help us to remember you at all times and to live our lives in accordance with your will. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
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