memory lane

"Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them fade from your heart as long as you live.  Teach them to your children, and their children after them."
-- Deuteronomy 4:9

For a God who remembers our sins no more, He is all about some remembering!

In Deuteronomy, the Israelites are standing on the edge of Canaan, about to enter the land promised to them generations before, by the almighty God.

After all they'd endured, after all the years of wandering, after picking up and moving their camps day after day -- with plenty of mistakes along the way, mind you -- they'd been on quite the roller coaster!  And here they are, finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.  The land of milk and honey.  The opportunity to exchange their nomadic ways for a life of wealth, and a chance to settle.

Can you even imagine their emotional state?  Fighting exhaustion, but energized by what lay before them.  Anxious and nervous about the uncertainty ahead, but relieved to finally be there.  My heart races at the thought of it!

While they're chomping at the bit, Moses is very aware of the temptations that are on the other side of that river, and he is faithful to pause, and to remember.

He reflects on Israel's history, their journey together, and the LORD's constant provision in their lives.  They remember the Egyptian army's attack, and watching the Red Sea part at just the right time.  They remember starving and thirsting in the dessert, and the manna and quail, and water gushing from a rock, that satisfied.

As believers, we're wise to reminisce, to honor God's faithfulness in our own journeys, and thank Him for His provision and blessings along the way.

Change is a guarantee, but so is God's unchanging nature.  So whether I'm staring the proverbial promised land in the face, or whether I'm wandering in the desert, I want to be faithful to pause, and to remember.

Memory Lane is a sweet stroll!