Deuteronomy 6:10-12
When the Lord your God has brought you into the land that he swore to your ancestors, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give you—a land with fine, large cities that you did not build, houses filled with all sorts of goods that you did not fill, hewn cisterns that you did not hew, vineyards and olive groves that you did not plant—and when you have eaten your fill, take care that you do not forget the Lord, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.
Those Israelites of old were not the only ones in danger of “forgetting God.” This passage touches home with us who live comfortably in our communities with very little daily or hourly appreciation for the gifts that surround us. We have home and food, family and friends, our church and the beauty of the creation everywhere we look. It is so easy for us to wake in the morning and go our busy way with very little thought of the giftedness of it all. We are totally engrossed in what we can accomplish or what we need to do or where we are going.
One day, as I hiked the Rattlesnake trail at Sabino Canyon near Tucson, I stopped for an older man coming toward me as he carefully made his way down a rocky ledge. His eyes were trained carefully on the trail, the placement of his feet, worrying about the security of the rock below. In his left hand he carried a pair of hiking poles, tucked safely under his arm. When he was down, he looked up and saw me waiting for him. “That is really tough! Sorry to take so much time.” I replied, “No problem, sir, but why don’t you use those hiking poles you have with you. They really will help!”
Deuteronomy 6 says, “Take care that you do not forget the Lord,” who will help you through the day, who will be there for you when you feel insecure, who has and will provide for your every need. Take care that you do not forget the Lord.
Prayer: Dear God, I am so glad you are constantly near me. Forgive me when I try to do it all by myself. Thank you for providing for my every need. Amen.
Songs: “Precious Lord, Take My Hand” by Rev. Thomas A. Dorsey, 1932
“Lord, Take My Hand and Lead Me” by Julie von Hausmann, 1825-1901