Fans hate timeouts, but coaches love them. As we watch March Madness, we are reminded of the importance of timeouts. A timeout can change a game. One team can be on the wrong end of a scoring run, the coach calls timeout and gives the team a chance to regroup and refocus on the game plan.
Much of the book of Deuteronomy is the conversation of an Israelite timeout. They had been wandering in the wilderness for 40 years and were about to enter the promised land, but before they went into the land, God spoke the game plan through Moses. One of the exhortations was to remember the Lord God: They were to remember how God had led them to this point through His leadership and provision.
Moses coached them to remember what God had done and who He was by being obedient.
A meaningful reflection of Jesus happens as we remember God by doing what He commands.
In Deuteronomy 8:11 Moses says “Take care lest you forget the Lord by not keeping His commandments and His rules, and His statutes, which I commanded you today. Moses emphasized an important point (for us) by explaining that remembering and doing are connected. We are called to remember God and one of the ways we remember is through doing what He commands.
Truth: There is a difference between agreeing and obeying.
We can agree with what God says and still not follow in obedience. The goal is to obey God’s commands and the byproduct of our obedience is remembering Him.
1st Application: Remembering through doing means obeying the commands of scripture.
God’s word is just that…His word to us. In scripture God gives us guidelines and principles to follow, which not only aid us as we traverse life, but reveal to the watching world who God is and what He is about. The truths of scripture apply to all people.
2nd Application: Remembering through doing means obeying His promptings.
Holy Spirit guides us throughout our day with promptings and instructions. These are the directions that are specifically for you in the moment you are currently walking.
Remembering God has to do with keeping Him as the King of our life and expressing love to our King. Remembering God though our obedience does not happen accidentally…It happens as we move from mere agreement to complete obedience.
Keep Reflecting Jesus!