Beware . . . Do Not Forget

Daily Devotions with Pastor Chuck

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Note our Scripture text and the warning it bears,

“Beware that you do not forget the LORD your God . . .” (Deuteronomy 8:11 – NKJV)

As I pray in the morning, and for that matter, throughout the day, I always pray for my daughters, their husbands, and their children, and for those I know in Christ. One of the things that I pray for them is that they “do not forget the Lord (our) God.”

If you were to look into my Bible you would see a lot of markings and notes and texts that are underlined. And one of the things I have underlined, especially in the books regarding Israel’s passing into the land God promised them, is the constant warnings the Lord makes to His people . . . “Beware that you do not forget the Lord your God.” Why the constant reminders? I think you might know the answer to that . . . God knows that we have a strong tendency to stray from Him, from His Word, from His commandments, from His presence, and He knows that this does not bode well for us. The old hymn says it well,

“Prone to wander Lord, I feel it, prone to leave the God I love;” (Come, Thou Fount Of Every Blessing)

We live in a country that has turned away from God and His Word, a nation that seeks to relegate God to a “not important” status. Such, we are fed a steady diet of things by a culture that does not seek to have us to remember the Lord but rather, to forget Him; to render Him of little importance.

We live in a society that seems to have a gadget for our every turn in life; a TV, a smart phone, a Nook or an I-Pad or a Kindle, or a Walkman or an I-Phone, etc., etc., etc. So much else to think on, to do. We have busy lives, working, raising children, pursing entertainments, getting together with other people. Going to and fro . . . planning this and planning that, looking forward to this or that. So preoccupied with the things of this world . . . so busy . . . seems oh so little time to do it all. Our nation is like Israel, would you not agree? It has become a nation that has forgotten the One who made it what it “was.” God forbid that we would forget the One who has made us what we are (Ephesians 1:3; 2:1-22).

Another enemy that I constantly pray does not overtake me or my loved ones, my brothers and sisters in Christ, is apathy. For when one becomes apathetic toward the things of God it is difficult to recover . . . and so we “wander” from our Lord and we “forget the Lord (our) God.”

“Beware!” The word carries a warning, a call to take note for there is potential trouble ahead. “Beware” brethren . . . lest you and those around you that you love “wander” away from our Lord, that we “forget” Him and His Word. Remember that it is “by His doing you are in Christ Jesus” (I Corinthians 1:30) and that you were poor, but in Christ, you have been made rich (II Corinthians 8:9), that you were lost but now you are found (Luke 19:10). Do not forget the Lord! Make a point to pray this for others and for yourself. Our nation may desire to move away from God, from His commandments, but we who are His must not allow it to happen in our lives and we should be steadfast to earnestly pray it does not happen in the lives of those we love.

Have a good day brethren . . . and as you walk take note of God’s Word, beware, and do not forget the Lord your God.