Has someone ever asked you if you have had a good weekend and you have a moment where you cannot remember what you did? Sometimes, it takes me a minute to remember what has happened even a few days back. Isn’t it bizarre that we are so forgetful?

As I was reflecting on that, I began to think about how often we see this in Scripture. One of the biggest examples of this is the nation of Israel. It seems as if they are constantly forgetting what God has saved them from. God specifically appointed Moses to save them from Exile in Egypt. God miraculously saved a whole nation and a few days removed from this incredible moment, they forgot.

We see in Exodus 14, just after God used Moses to allow them to cross the Red Sea, the Israelites said this when Pharaoh was pursuing them:

“They said to Moses, “Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us to the desert to die? What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt?” Exodus 14:11

They told Moses that they would have rather stayed in exile for the rest of their lives than to die in the desert. Before they left exile, they were beaten, starved, and treated as slaves. Before God provided Moses, there was no way out. And when God delivered them, they had a chance at a new life and a new future. He had been faithful in his promise to use this nation to accomplish his purpose.

And now, there is a bump in the road where they cannot see a way out. From their point of view, it was a hopeless situation. Moses tried to remind them of who God is.

“Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again.” Exodus 14:13

Here Moses is, having remembered how God has remained faithful, trying to remind the Israelites that God is in control of the situation.

They finally come back around at the end of the chapter and say “And when the Israelites saw the mighty hand of the Lord displayed against the Egyptians, the people feared the Lord and put their trust in him and in Moses his servant.” Exodus 14:31

I want to caution us not to point fingers at them and think for ourselves when was the last time I forgot that God always comes through? And then when he does, we are flabbergasted by it. It could be tempting to say that we would never forget God so quickly but I know I do. God has not waivered, we simply forgot.

My hope and encouragement to you is to be good rememberer. At the beginning of every semester, I will take the time to make a voice memo or dedicate an hour to write down every way that God has been faithful in my life. I encourage you to journal often and establish a practice of remembering the times in your life that God has always been faithful and that he will be forever.