This is the history of the heavens and the earth when they were created…
Genesis 2:4
Here we see Moses (the author of the first five books of the Bible) take a moment and stop for review.
Why is it that Moses stops here?
If you look at the life of any of the great leaders in the Bible, you notice they all have learned the discipline of remembrance. As we’ll find in the chapters to come, “Man” will sin and separate Himself from the perfection God desired to include Him in. Part of falling out of perfection includes flaws in humanity. One flaw that is an everyday battle is forgetfulness.
Have you ever been in conversation with someone and totally forget what you were about to say? Maybe you find yourself scrambling for your keys after just setting them down seconds before?
This seemingly small imperfection is a huge problem for our relationship with the Lord. Forgetting God in the illusion of the important things of the day is a mistake we are all prone to make. That’s why early in Moses’ relationship with the Lord God instructed Him to hold onto and observe all the things He learned in His walk with the Lord. Every word that proceeded from God’s mouth to Him was to be remembered and taught to the children of Israel, then they in turn would teach their kids, then they would live it out and show the neighboring nations how good it is to be in close abiding with the Lord. (Deut. 8) Moses learned this and we see as He jots down the things God has shared with Him, he practices the discipline of stopping and remembering.
“And you shall remember that the Lord your God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not. So He humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna which you did not know nor did your fathers know, that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord.”
Genesis 8:2, 3
What is it that Man will “Live” by? The Word that proceeds out of God’s mouth.
What is it that you’re relying on to live? Chances are those things eventually will end.
If you choose to live relying on temporary things, that is exactly what your life will be…temporary. You might have chased after everything in the book looking for a satisfied life. The fact is you’re never going to really live unless you are taking in God’s word. That’s why daily time in the word is so important. To remind us of how great the Lord is. As you remember you’ll find the warmth return to the cold relationship that has been forgotten in the temporary cares of the day. Spend time with the Lord reading His words and reviewing His loving work in your life and you’ll see a renewed joy start filling you again.
Stress will turn to Peace.
Depression will turn to Joy.
Hate will turn to Love… as you remember.
