How quickly I forget the blessings of life.
When I think back to my childhood and through the years, what comes to mind?
The hard times.
The hurts and pain.
People who wronged me.
Why is that? Why is it so easy to remember the bad times and so hard to conjure up memories of good? Are you this way too?
The Israelites, whom God had chosen and loved, battled the same thing.
“So, as the Holy Spirit says: “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion, during the time of testing in the desert, where your fathers tested and tried me and for forty years saw what I did. That is why I was angry with that generation, and I said, ‘Their hearts are always going astray, and they have not known my ways.’ So I declared on oath in my anger, ‘They shall never enter my rest.'” See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first.” Hebrews 3: 7-14
Is my heart “always going astray?” Do I not know His ways? Is my heart unbelieving and sinful? One that turns away from God?
I like how the Message Bible says this same passage, especially verse 9-11:
“Even though they watched me at work for forty years, your ancestors refused to let me do it my way; over and over they tried my patience. And I was provoked, oh, so provoked! I said, “They’ll never keep their minds on God; they refuse to walk down my road.” Exasperated, I vowed, “They’ll never get where they’re going, never be able to sit down and rest.”
In this light, it’s easy to see the problem. God knows what’s best for us, but we refuse to follow His instructions, to walk down His road. Oh, how convicting it is, especially with a teenager at home and realizing my own adolescent behavior with God.
If my son would just listen to my instruction, if he would do as I say, if he would not try my patience, then he’d be able to enjoy the privileges I really want for him to have.
I’m like my son in more ways than I’d like to admit. If only I would just listen to God, if I would not try and do things own way, then I would be able to sit and rest. God knows this, and He longs to give me rest, but He also knows there is no rest outside of His son, Jesus.
I wonder if God ever thinks “I can’t wait for this child of mine to grow up!” Maybe he does, maybe he doesn’t. But I think he remembers the blessings. The ones he has in store for me and longs to give to me. Even though he might get angry and disappointed at my sin, he only sees the blood of his son, washing, restoring, blessings.
So I will remember the blessings, and if I forget, I pray that God will remind me!