“Be sure that as long
as you live you never forget what you have seen. . .
You yourselves have
seen everything that the Lord your God did for you.
He showed you his
power and strength. . .
The Lord showed you
all this so that you would
know that He is God.”
Deuteronomy 4:9, 34-35
How could the Israelites forget? Deuteronomy 4 lists many
wonders and miracles the Lord did for their nation. Yet, they constantly needed
reminded of the amazing things God had done for them.
However, as I read this chapter, I recognized myself. How quickly
I take for granted what God has done for me—saved me from sin, walked with me,
taught me His ways and guided me along the path of life. How easily I forget, allowing
the passing of time to lessen their significance—just like the Israelites.
But in the same loving manner that God cared for the
Israelites, He is merciful to me. He sends me reminders—a song that takes me
back to a special spiritual moment, an early morning walk filled with the
sights and sounds of what only God could have created, a Scripture that leaps
off the page and pierces my heart, the welcoming arms of a grandchild.
For my friend, Walter Woods, it is a hollow in a wooden
altar where the craftsman missed the nail and made “elephant tracks” in the
wood with the hammer. When Walter gave his life to Jesus, he filled those “tracks”
with his tears. Now, every time he goes to that altar to pray, he kneels where
the “elephant tracks” are forever indented in the wood.
And suddenly, Walter remembers how Jesus has changed his
life.
Isn’t it amazing how, in a nanosecond, a simple thing can
flood our minds with thoughts of what God has done for us and ours, turning our
hearts toward Him?
What is God’s response? Deuteronomy 4:29-31 encourages us: “You
will look for the Lord your God. And if you look for him with all your heart
and soul, you will find him. . . You will come back to the Lord your God and
obey him. The Lord your God is a merciful God! He will not leave you or destroy
you.”
God welcomes us. . . He forgives us. . . He reminds us all
over again of His constant presence and unfailing love.
Today, let’s intentionally reflect on all that God has done
for us, on how far He has brought us, and how very different and good our lives
are because of His loving hand at work in us. Let’s remind ourselves of how God
has changed not just our circumstances, but our very beings, molding and
shaping us, transforming us inwardly so we can understand and accept what God
wants for us. (Romans 12:2)
What are your “elephant tracks”?
Be encouraged!
Pam
©2017 Pamela D. Williams
