From devotions this morning

I was reading in Duet. 6-9 last night and this morning. In this passage God is talking to the Israelites through Moses before they head into the promise land. In it, He TELLS them that they will forget him as soon as things start going well. We know from history that this is exactly what happened.

How could they? He warned them, right?

In Duet. God told the Israelites what they needed to do. He tells them that when they reach the promised land, they need to consciously take time to remember where they came from (Egypt), and who got them to the promised land (Himself). He told them to review the commands and meditate on their need of him every day. If not, He said they would soon think they had earned the blessings and forget how much they need God. He told them, but as always, knowing is easier than doing.

I was talking to another Christian named Blake after Bible study last night, and we both agreed that mediocrity is the biggest struggle for us. I hate how easy it is for me to be complacent with my own life and not reach out to others, especially at school. It is useless to try to reachout to others if I don't have a passion for God, but a passion for God is something that is nearly impossible for me to maintain on my own. I can do my part by reading and praying, but there is no way I can create a passion for God. Convicting and frustrating at the same time.

If I don't find a way to remember how much I need God, I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that I will mediocre life. Not too bad, not too good, just lukewarm, and that is exactly what God says he hates. Unfortunately this is the hardest time for me to remember that because life is going smoothly. I need that urgency/thirst I have for God when times are bad, but I don't know how to keep this mindset when times are good.

Frustrating and kind of scary to realize that your biggest battle right now is against something so slow but so natural. Complacency is so powerful that I don't think anyone is really up to the challenge on their own, but that is naturally how we approach it – on our own. Without the grace of God to show the urgency of the need, the result is slow, predictable. As slow and predictable as it is, it will kill you if you don't take an active role against it.

How many mature Christians do you know who know so much that they haven't been really convicted in a long time? How many mature Christians do you know who love God fervently on their own, but haven't had the courage to share this passion outside a “safe” setting (i.e. church or Christian circle) in years? I know of a lot more than I would like to. Reading through Duet., it scared me to realize how easy it is to become one of them.

Experiencing God's blessing is not a safe place to be . . . unless you can remember how much you need Him. That takes conscious effort and a lot of work. More than that, it requires the grace of God. Have you asked for it recently, or have you forgotten that you need it?

Some people seem to naturally realize how much they need God's grace and how unworthy they are. Consequently, they struggle with doubts about whether God's grace really can extend to them. I'm not one of them. I don't struggle with realizing God's grace can cover me -- I can accept that -- I struggle to remember how much I need it. Reading Duet. and talking to Blake made me realize that I may need it most right now. Not so much to save me from drastic sin, but to keep me from being lukewarm.