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When the Lord your God brings you into the land he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to give you—a land with large, flourishing cities you did not build, houses filled with all kinds of good things you did not provide, wells you did not dig, and vineyards and olive groves you did not plant—then when you eat and are satisfied, be careful that you do not forget the Lord, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.
-Deuteronomy 6:10-12
I remember something that happened in high school when I worked at the local grocery store. While waiting for a customer, one of the other workers said something to the effect of, “Isn’t it interesting how only weak people are Christian? I mean, no CEOs or other powerful people need any religion because they have everything they need. It’s only the weak and poor who pray to some god to get what they don’t have.”
Being 16 at the time, I was not prepared to hear this nor respond in a meaningful way, so I just shrugged and dropped the topic. But it is something that I’ve thought about from time to time since then. I wondered if his misconception was a modern issue brought about by great abundance, technology, and an increasing disdain for religion in society.
But look at the verses from Deuteronomy above. These were written long ago, but the people are warned not to forget God in their future wealth and abundance. There weren’t cell phones, cars, or even Twitter back then, but clearly that didn’t matter. So the problem of forgetting or “not needing” God is not a modern one, but a human one. What is it about having stuff, being in a position of power, or feeling great that makes us forget God?
I’m sure we have all prayed in times of pain and distress. When we hurt, we want to reach out to God because we know God will not forget us amidst our deepest despairs and longings. But once things are going well, it’s all too easy to forget to praise God. Initially, I might thank God for the help, but I become satisfied with my positive situation and can sometimes forget to sing for joy. Being a Christian is more of a journey than a one-time decision. We are always oscillating between being close to God and being further away than we want. But we are loved unconditionally by an unchanging God who is always waiting for us, even when we “forget” God. Take a moment today and say a prayer of thanksgiving for something in your life. Praise God from whom all blessings flow!
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