February 20: REMEMBERING GOD
“…Yet My people have forgotten Me days without number.” Jeremiah 2:32b
The words that the LORD has put into the mouth of Jeremiah often reveal that He is hurt. Beloved, do you believe that His Word is His “love letter” to you and to me? If so, we will perceive His side of an ongoing conversation into which we are included. Oh, to have an ear for what He has to say, and a genuine response to His counsel! To ignore His counsel—which may seem passive—is the same as actively despising it. This is the pavement on the road to forgetting God.
We are given a priceless gift by the Creator: minds that are free to remember God. Prayer does not come naturally to the “natural” man or woman. It is an exercise of the will. When one of the disciples said to Jesus, “Lord, teach us to pray” (Luke 11:1), Jesus readily offered the model prayer (vv.2-4), which opens with the recognition of God’s holy character, including His desire to include us in His unending kingdom. That is His will, beloved! When a soul is “born again” from above, the life of God’s Son is placed within that person. From that point forward, the precious life that has graciously been implanted is either nourished or starved. Prayer is a way of life that brings vital nourishment to the life of Christ within us. The real purpose of prayer is that we may intimately know God Himself.
Too often, our expectations regarding prayer only go as far as “Lord, solve this problem” or “Heal that person.” We all have our wish list of things that need to be “fixed” – and the sooner the better! We may go days without number without speaking to God, and then, when facing trouble, we cry out to Him. While the things we cry out about are important to us in the moment, He knows what is most urgently needed. Many will say that prayer changes things. But it is much more accurate to say that prayer changes you and me!
As each of us gets to know God more intimately, an eternal perspective is gained. In His word, we are given glimpses into our world as it will be after it is restored (see Revelation 21) —completely free of sin, sinners, and every negative influence. This is why it is exceedingly important to seek after His character and His will for ourselves. The reality of His coming kingdom will impress itself upon our minds and wills so much that it shifts our paradigm. Inviting and influencing others to enter His kingdom becomes central. Remembering God and yearning for others to know Him places us in the best position to nourish the life of Christ within us. Honor Him by asking big! Be bold in asking, like a child! Oh, what a delight for Him that is! Hear these words of Jesus:
“Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 18:3