I believe our memory is one of the greatest gifts God gifts us. He has wired it so that every single sense we have is tied to our memory.
For parents, you still remember the moment you first heard your child utter the words, "mama" and "da-da."
For children, you still remember the smell of grandma's famous spaghetti.
For daddy's, you still remember that moment you first saw your daughter in the wedding dress of her dreams.
For women, you still remember the way your favorite pair of jeans feels.
For newlyweds, you still remember the taste, whether good or bad, of your first home-made meal as a couple.
There is something sweet about the gift of our memory that no one can explain. In an instant we can be brought back to a specific time or place through one of our five senses.
God knows all too well the power of our memories and that is why throughout scripture he tells his children to "remember him."
He begins by telling the Israelites in the Old Testament to remember how he saved them from the hands of the Egyptians, and you think that would be an easy request, but it wasn't. Looking through scripture its easy to point fingers and say, "There is no way I would forget it if God showed up like that."
He sent plagues that affected everyone except them to prove that they were His people. (Exodus 10:23)
He parted the Red Sea to protect them from the Egyptians. (Exodus 14:21-22)
He made water spill out of rocks in order for them to have something to drink in the desert. (Exodus 17:6)
He made bread fall from heaven in order to provide for them. (Exodus 16:35)
He met with them and they saw his glory at the bottom of mount Sinai. (Exodus 19:17)
And yet instead of remembering how God saved, delivered, protected, provided, and spoke to them they decide to remember what they didn't have.
"The rabble with them began to crave other food, and against the Israelites started wailing and said, 'If only we had meat to eat! We remember the fish we ate in Egypt at no cost-also the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions, and garlic. But now we have lost our appetite; we never see anything but this manna." -Numbers 11:4-6
What the Israelites forgot about was that in Egypt they were enslaved. But because the focused on what they didn't have as opposed to all that God provided them with they lost perspective and suddenly wanted to go back to slavery all for what? Meat.
That seems more than a little bit stupid doesn't it?
But the truth is that we are no different than the Israelites. Many times instead of remembering what God delivered us from, protected us from, and all that he's provided for us, we focus on that which we don't have. And that leads us down a road that leads to unthankfulness, comparison, selfishness, and worst off: as Christians when we do this we are saying to those around us that "God isn't enough, so I'm going to go find that 'enough' somewhere else."
Its month 10 and I can relate to this struggle of craving food from America just like the Israelites. Man, what I wouldn't do for some Chic-fil-a and while were at it a steak and baked potato. Did I mention that if I see rice again I might scream?
It's really easy to get in the rut of complaining and glamorizing past seasons of our lives. But in those moments when I do that, I'm saying, "Abba you're good, but it's just not enough. Thanks for providing and all, but that's not what I want right now."
What a slap in his face.
Its not wrong to want things, but it is wrong when we look at what gods given us and instead of finding reasons to thank him, we spend time complaining.
It's all about what we remember, we will either remember the good, or the bad. And right now, with one month to go I'm choosing to remember that Jesus is greater than Chic-fil-a and he's greater than a steak and baked potato.
When I get back, you best believe I will enjoy both of those things and praise Abba through every bite, but for now, I'm not there, I'm here in Moldova, eating my soup and rice. And it's good, and it's enough.
What are you remembering today? God's faithfulness in all he's richly provided for you, or all that you don't have?
"And when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, 'This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.'” -1 Corinthians 11:24
