My Dear Friend,

Long ago and far away, hidden in the dusty pages of our Bible, an ancient Jewish scribe penned one of the primary reasons for Israel's many historic failures: forgetfulness! Why were they so forgetful?

Wondrously, God worked wonderful wonder after wonderful wonder, but it all amounted to nothing, because His people were wonderless - or without the sense of deep, soul-gripping awe that permanently embeds God's wondrous works in our memories: "They soon forgot His works" (Psalm 106:13). Hmm? What "works"?

Let us remember, and wonder, for just a few moments, at the wonders God's people forgot to wonder about.

God personally prepared the Hebrew slaves a handpicked deliverer, Moses, and grew his faith and intimate knowledge of God for forty years, just to bless His people with an exceptional leader. He then worked ten amazing miracles of judgment through Moses against Egypt, just to free them from the Pharaoh's pitiless, unrelenting oppression.

He revealed His thunderous power and overawing majesty to His people in a stunning light and sound exhibition at Mount Sinai, just to help them understand how great He was, how important it was to obey Him, and how none of their enemies could withstand His superior power. He gave Moses a wondrously full and perfect law for them on the Mount, just to show them His way of life and worship - the very best way - tailor made for their enduring peace, prosperity, and joy.

He revealed His supernatural, overarching, presence - the divine covering! - in a pillar of cloud by day and fire by night, just to give them constant reassurance of His abiding covenant love and care, protect them from the blazing desert sun by day, and warm them during the long, cold desert nights.

In the person of His Son, Jesus, the Lord of Hosts (Yahweh Sabaoth), He fought alongside His people against the idolatrous Canaanites, most notably at Jericho (Joshua 5:13-15), just to give them the best place to live - the Promised Land! - and to bless them there with houses, vineyards, wells, and orchards which they didn't have to plant or build.

In that Promised Land, He raised specially trained and spiritually equipped leaders for them - Joshua, Caleb, Judges, and Prophets - just to give them, as one teacher put it, "inerrant communication with heaven" and, with that, deep soul-rest, knowing their nation and lives were being led daily by loving, all-knowing, perfect divine guidance.

We could go on listing the many miracles, graces, favors, and mercies the Most Gracious Shepherd bestowed on His most ungrateful sheep. But whatever He did, however sweet, powerful, timely, or supernatural, in their chronic self-centered pride and spiritual density, His people found a way to forget it. Again, and again, and again. In doing so, their chronic forgetfulness sent Him a message.

And He got it: all His large, loving acts meant very little to them. And He did, too! Why? They were too full of their selves to make room for their Savior. Their old habit of selfishness was so deeply rooted, it left no room for a new habit of gratitude - thanking, praising, and worshiping their wonder Worker for His wondrous works.

No doubt with this, Israel's famous forgetfulness, in mind, another wise psalmist solemnly charged all of God's covenant people to cure our chronic forgetfulness with steady treatments of remembrance: "Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits" (Psalm 103:2). He then listed the primary benefits we should often remember. God forgives us of our sins; heals our physical infirmities; redeems our lives from ruin; crowns us with many sweet mercies; satisfies our spiritual and human desires; renews our youth daily, and as we age; executes just judgments in our behalf; and makes known His ways of living, working, and worshiping to our spiritually minded leaders so they may teach us to walk in them (Psalm 103:3-7). That's a good starter list.

You must pen the rest of "His benefits" in your own poem of thanksgiving or song of praise. Why not title it, "Remembrance!" Its contents should be simply everything and anything with which God has blessed you. Big things. Little things. Past things. Recent things. Ten-minutes-ago things.

By now you get the picture, I'm sure. You can't thank God enough. He never tires of our worshipful thanksgiving. Ever! So, this is a call to action! Today, don't just study this issue; do something about it! Replace your old habit of forgetfulness with a new habit of remembrance. "In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you" (1 Thessalonians 5:18, NKJV).

When you awake, thank your heavenly Father that you are still alive and able to live and work with Jesus another day. When you bathe or shower, thank Him for hot, clean water. When you take your meals, bless Him that your food is nourishing and delicious. When you go to work, acknowledge He has provided your employment, and a bus, train, or car - any car - or your feet to transport you there. If you're in school, thank Him for your teachers, courses, and the knowledge you are gaining. When you walk in your neighborhood, thank Him it is safe and crime-free. When He heals your painful bodily ailments, divinely or medically, or delivers you from other frustrating troubles, repeatedly thank Him for days to come, even weeks. When He sends exceptionally strong tests, thank Him they will make you exceptionally stronger.

Never let a church meeting go by without taking time for testimonies, to recount the wonderful things God has done. When you begin prayer meetings, thank Him for providing the "new and living way" for you to enter into His heavenly court (Hebrews 10:19-20). Thank Him for gracing your meetings with His abiding divine presence, whether felt or not (Hebrews 13:5). Thank Him for listening to you - when others may not! Allow time for every participant to openly or privately thank the Lord for something, anything, He has done for them recently. And thank Him by faith for blessings and answers to prayer that are on the way! Never let even one answered prayer, however small, go unacknowledged and unpraised. Why?

Just to minister blessing to Jesus! Just because He is abundantly worthy of it. Just to give Him joy. Just to relieve His heart over all the unresponsiveness and unthankfulness He experiences on a daily basis from not only unbelievers but also His own blood-bought people!

When you begin seeking the Lord every morning, thank Him for blessing your sleep. Thank Him for yesterday's blessings and recount them. Describe them to Him and acknowledge His actions in all the things that gave you joy. Tell Him you know they were His open answers to your private prayers, or other unrequested kindnesses He sent from His throne. Why?

He sent them just to bless you! Just to reassure you. Just to strengthen your God-confidence. Just to prompt you to draw you closer to Him. Just to refill you afresh with His Spirit. Just to prepare you for your next challenge . . . just when you need it!

And you need it today. Today is the day to set your heart to not be wonderless - without the sense of deep, soul-gripping awe that permanently embeds God's wondrous works in your memory. Today is the day to forget forgetfulness and remember remembrance . . . and never forget it!

Remembering,

Dr. Greg Hinnant

GREG HINNANT MINISTRIES