To Forget Is Often to Forfeit
“…when your heart is lifter up, and you forget the Lord….” Deuteronomy 8:12
Forgetfulness often results in great loss. This is especially true in the Kingdom World. Deuteronomy 8: 12 and 13 gives insight as to what causes people to forget the goodness of God. Actually verse 14 uses the expression which summarizes the result of the blessings noted in verses 12 and 13. It is “when your heart is lifted up.” This is an expression for pride.
Translating the Greek text into certain tribal languages is a challenge. A missionary was searching for a word to translate for the word “pride” when he overheard a native describe to another by saying “the ears are too far apart.” In other words, the person had a big head. That expression was used to translate the word for pride.
Forgetfulness causes self-centered pride. This results in the Lord God being denied as the one who delivered and established us as a nation. As verse 14 notes, they were tending to forget God had delivered them; so we tend to think our military might have on occasions delivered us. Not so, God has.
Forgetfulness causes us to become egotistical. Verse 17 expresses the arrogance of many. Prosperity can create a diversion causing forgetfulness. Verse 18 balances reality.
There once was a massive, stately, old elm tree which withstood many harsh storms. One calm, summer morning a cracking and crashing was heard. To the amazement of all, large limbs had broken off and fallen. It was a calm and still morning causing people at first to wonder what caused a tree that had withstood storms to crash on such a quiet day. It was determined that the night had resulted in an exceptionally heavy dew formation. If there had been any breeze, the dew drops would have fallen. However, the dew accumulated on the leaves and collectively created such a weight as to break the limbs. Dew normally is a blessing to a tree. In this instance too much was too bad.
Prosperity is acknowledged to be good. However, so much of what it causes the recipient to forget about God is defeating.
When you get wealth, “remember the Lord your God” (Vs. 18). When I see worthy ministries going begging and Christians prospering, yet not sharing, there is clear evidence they have forgotten.
Forgetfulness results in us failing to obey God. Verse 20 graphically notes the result. Another missionary was searching for a word to translate obedience. One day when the missionary whistled for his dog a native watched as the dog came running and said, “Your dog is all ears.” That was the word used by the missionary to translate the word obey. When God calls, we come running.
Continual obedience is a safeguard against forgetfulness. Forgetfulness is a thief. Guard against it by daily remembrance.