“Both we and our fathers have sinned;
we have committed iniquity; we have done wickedness.
Our fathers, when they were in Egypt,
did not consider your wondrous works;
they did not remember the abundance of your steadfast love,
but rebelled by the sea, at the Red Sea.
Yet he saved them for his name’s sake,
that he might make known his mighty power.
He rebuked the Red Sea, and it became dry,
and he led them through the deep as through a desert.
So he saved them from the hand of the foe
and redeemed them from the power of the enemy.
And the waters covered their adversaries;
not one of them was left.
Then they believed his words;
they sang his praise.
But they soon forgot his works;
they did not wait for his counsel.
But they had a wanton craving in the wilderness,
and put God to the test in the desert…
They made a calf in Horeb
and worshiped a metal image.
They exchanged the glory of God
for the image of an ox that eats grass.
They forgot God, their Savior,
who had done great things in Egypt,
wondrous works in the land of Ham,
and awesome deeds by the Red Sea.” Psalm 106:6-14,19-22
“Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” Philippians 4:8
When Israel forgot her God, disaster ensued. Maintaining a mindset of remembrance of God’s good gifts and grace filled them with praise and guarded their actions in obedience. They adored and wanted to follow this One who cared for and delivered them. But they let down that guard, opening their minds to strange affection and wandering toward foreign gods. Entertainment of self and coddling wayward impulses took captive and quenched thoughts filled with the Lord, and led to their repeated downfall.
And so happens this incessant pull with the most well-intended of men. Our biblical call to vigilance is vehement and constant because the enemy is relentless. We cannot be too guarded against his alluring and deceptive wiles. This deceiver targets our minds because he knows that’s where choices take root. We must keep fixing our minds and locking our hearts on Christ above! (Proverbs 4:23-27; John 8:44; 1 Corinthians 16:13; 2 Corinthians 11:3,14; Colossians 3:1-2; 1 Peter 5:8)
What ingrained habits have we relished that deter our thoughts from Christ? Are we more addicted to news, exercise, or some form of entertainment than we are to time with His word? What safeguards have we in place to guard our minds (and eyes), and how well do we mind those guards? Is there a friend with whom we can talk, confess, and uphold accountability to pressing on toward the Lord?
When we are weary of the pull, or have yielded to temptation, we find great mercy and forgiveness in the Lord. We can approach Him in confidence rather than shame, and claim His gracious cleansing and help. With renewed minds, will we then freely praise Him? (Psalm 107:8-15; Romans 12:2; Hebrews 4:15-16)
Father, keep me from straying, and keep me vigilant in guarding my life for Thee, to Your honor and glory.
As the rain and snow 