FORGETTING GOD?

My wife often reminds me of how forgetful I am. She usually points this out when I ask her if she knows where I put my wallet, or keys, or shoes! My assistant also knows my tendency to "space it," especially when it comes to meetings. Not only has she set my computer calendar to sound an alarm prior to each meeting, but she even texts me a reminder...sad, I know.

As forgetful as I can be at times, honestly, I've never figured how the Israelites could actually forget God! The Bible says, "The Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord; they forgot the Lord their God and served the Baals and the Asherahs" (Judges 3:7). How do you forget God? Does He just slip your mind? Does He simply drop from your consciousness? I can sympathize with those who forget things, but they FORGOT GOD!

I think another passage clears it up for us. Romans 1:28 talks of those who do evil in God's sight and says, "they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God." Now it makes sense, right? You cannot just forget God like you forget an appointment or where you placed your keys. We forget God by conscious choice. We decide to put Him out of our mind. We actually have to work at forgetting God! It takes intentional effort. It's true. The times I fall into sin are the times I deliberately don't think about God.

Today is Thanksgiving Day in America. Every American knows why we celebrate the holiday. The Pilgrims gave thanks to God for getting them through the first winter in the New World. But I wonder how many will choose to forget God today. Besides a quick prayer at the dinner table, I wonder if most of us will forget to humbly and genuinely give thanks to God for all of His provision in our lives.

I'm glad we still have Thanksgiving Day. It's a good day to REMEMBER God and give Him thanks...real, heartfelt thanks. Now, if I could just remember where I put my shoes!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

BATTLING THE BEAN!

For the past five days I've cut out my coffee intake. That's a big deal since I normally do 6-8 cups a day. After battling mood swings that go from being easily aggravated one minute to being totally depressed the next, I'm not sure I can keep away from the Starbucks much longer. Pray for me!

I've been reading from the book of Judges (for the umpteenth time) and again find myself amazed by the repitition of Israel's bad behavior and God's faithful deliverance. It's like a broken record! Here's the cycle:

Israel does evil in the eyes of the Lord -- God punishes Israel with foriegn oppressors -- Israel repents and cries out to God -- God raises up a Judge to deliver Israel.

That cycle repeats itself over and over. It gets frustrating to see how cold Israel continually grows in her commitment to Almighty God, especially when He keeps rescuing her again and again. What's that definition of insanity again?

But the truth is, I relate far to well with Israel to stay frustrated for very long. Ultimately, I just end up humbled and extremely grateful to God for His faithfulness and mercy.

In all honesty, this is like the 10th time I've tried to kick the coffee habit over the last 15 years. I've rationalized it over and over. Trust me, I know that a recent medical report described the benefits of drinking coffee. That report has caused me to go back and forth a couple of times arleady...and it (along with that great aroma, smooth taste, and warm sensation) will probably keep me fighting the battle over the bean for the rest of my life!

And if I'm really honest, I'll be fighting battles over besetting sin for the rest of my life too. That's why I thank God for His faithfulness, just like we find in Judges! Here's a verse I get jazzed about even without a caffiene kick: "If we are faithless, He will remain faithful" (2 Timothy 2:13). That makes me want to keep on keeping on...how about you?

TEST-TAKING

How do you feel about "tests"? I have a dear friend enduring some extremely important medical tests this week. My older kids are immersed in study for a couple hours each day preparing for their tests in school (well, a guy can wish...right?). A brother in Christ from Pakistan, staying in our home, tells of being tested by radical muslims who frequently threaten his life and the lives of those he loves.

I've never looked forward to tests with eager anticipation. Yeah, I know they are necessary indicators of progress, but do you have to savor them? Today my devotional reading was from Judges 3:1-4. I'm still not sure how I feel about it. The Bible says:

"These are the nations the Lord left to test all of those Israelites who had not experienced any of the wars in Canaan (he did this only to teach warfare to the descendants of the Israelites who had not had previous battle experience)...They were left to test the Israelites to see whether they would obey the Lord's commands..."

To be honest, I kind of hoped that my last exam in Seminary would be my final exam in life. Of course, over the last couple of decades there have been many, many more tests, on a variety of topics and with varying levels of difficulty. I don't think God has written all of these exams, by the way. I'm quite sure Satan put together a few of the pop quizzes. But God has allowed them to be administered.

Unfortunately, I've not always aced those tests either. In some cases an "F" would have been way too generous. If we're honest, we'll admit how well we relate to the refrain appearing throughout the book of Judges: "Once again the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord."

But have the tests made me more battle-worthy, like they did those young Israeli soldiers in the days of the Judges? I sure hope so. Here's the goal I'm holding on to..."the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete" (James 1:3,4). However we might feel about or perform in the tests of life, God promises to use them to mature and complete us in Christ.

Not only do they indicate our progress, the tests of life induce it. Although I've never looked forward to the test, I've always loved the sense of relief that comes when it's over. Here's what God says we have to look forward if we'll hold on to Him during the test - "Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer...the devil will...test you... Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life" (Rev. 2:10).

PARADOX

While stuck on the tarmac at CVG recently, I was trying to wait patiently as the plane underwent repairs before take off. About 30 minutes in, my fellow travelers and I got a much needed distraction. The flight attendant pointed to a large plane across from us with some unusual passengers. The fleet of trailors that drove in like the Spanish Armada quickly revealed that the plane was loaded with high-dollar horses! It seemed paradoxical to watch dozens of these animals which once provided a major means of transportation, trot out of a jet airplane. And, yes, as we sat motionless at the gate it was tempting to joke about whether they could get us to our destination more quickly!

One of the things that makes life so interesting, and often fun, is that it's full of irony. The great A.W. Tozer captured the paradox of the Christian life in his book, The Root of Righteousness. I hope this quote from Tozer will encourage you as much as it has me!

“A REAL CHRISTIAN is an odd number anyway. He feels supreme love for One whom he has never seen, talks familiarly every day to Someone he cannot see, expects to go to heaven on the virtue of Another, empties himself in order to be full, admits he is wrong so he can be declared right, goes down in order to get up, is strongest when he is weakest, richest when he is poorest, and happiest when he feels worst. He dies so he can live, forsakes in order to have, gives away so he can keep, sees the invisible, hears the inaudible, and knows that which passes knowledge.”