As Americans we are constantly blessed by God. Think about it...We live in a country where we are free to do anything we want, go anywhere we want, and have anything we want. However, as Americans we are also free to forget anything we want. On September 11th 2001, they said Americans would never forget what happened at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and in the air over Pennsylvania. Maybe we didn't forget the events that happened on that day but we sure forgot what happened for the next few weeks. Let me refresh your memories. People were flocking by the thousands to their local churches. Praying for their families, thanking God for sparing their lives. In the midst of great sorrow, Americans found so many things to be thankful for; they realized how precious and yet fragile life is. But here we are now...spoiled once again...taking things for granted once again...most of all, we are ignoring the One who we turned to in our time of strife...the only One we knew that we could count on in such an uncertain time.
I am reminded of the Old Testament when I think about all that we as Christians in America forget. You might recall that when Moses led the Jews out of Egypt, out of slavery, out of a meaningless existence into freedom, they forgot about it as soon as they started to get tired of the manna that God provided for them to eat. This continued to occur. God provided, then His people forgot. This "what have you done for me lately" attitude is the pervasive attitude by Christians and non-Christians alike in the United States. Our attention is so quickly moved from one thing to another we hardly notice the everyday miracles that are happening all around us. "What miracles?" you ask. Have you had a friend accept Christ lately? Has God put a non-believer directly into your path? Have you seen the sunset? Have you felt the embrace of a relative? It is by the miracle of Christ that we experience these things and more. He died so that we might live life to the fullest, that we might be able to experience what life is truly all about. When is the last time you stopped to praise God for what he does in your life? I'm not talking about Sunday morning at some church service. I'm talking about stopping what you were doing, no matter when or where, and praising God.
So what is the solution to this problem. Going back to the Old Testament, you will notice that when God did great things among his people, they would stop where they were, build an alter, and worship him. I believ that the key is that we have to stop and build alters just as they did. I'm not saying that I have a bunch of stacks of rocks in my back yard. I'm saying that we need to mark the times in our lives when God does great things. However you choose to do this is your decision. A lot of times I write songs about it. The question is, how can we ever remember something if we don't leave ourselves a reminder. Picture this...a Jewish kid is playing with his father by the Red Sea one two hundred years after the Exodus. He comes across a huge stack of stones. He asks "what is this daddy" to which his father is able to answer with a story about how God moved on that day so long ago and his ancestors were able to walk on the bottom of the sea and escape Pharoe's army.
What was your Egypt? What was your Red Sea? Will anyone ever ask you to tell them how God changed your life forever? Why don't you leave some stones.
T.J. Goff
www.tjgoff.com
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I am reminded of the Old Testament when I think about all that we as Christians in America forget. You might recall that when Moses led the Jews out of Egypt, out of slavery, out of a meaningless existence into freedom, they forgot about it as soon as they started to get tired of the manna that God provided for them to eat. This continued to occur. God provided, then His people forgot. This "what have you done for me lately" attitude is the pervasive attitude by Christians and non-Christians alike in the United States. Our attention is so quickly moved from one thing to another we hardly notice the everyday miracles that are happening all around us. "What miracles?" you ask. Have you had a friend accept Christ lately? Has God put a non-believer directly into your path? Have you seen the sunset? Have you felt the embrace of a relative? It is by the miracle of Christ that we experience these things and more. He died so that we might live life to the fullest, that we might be able to experience what life is truly all about. When is the last time you stopped to praise God for what he does in your life? I'm not talking about Sunday morning at some church service. I'm talking about stopping what you were doing, no matter when or where, and praising God.
So what is the solution to this problem. Going back to the Old Testament, you will notice that when God did great things among his people, they would stop where they were, build an alter, and worship him. I believ that the key is that we have to stop and build alters just as they did. I'm not saying that I have a bunch of stacks of rocks in my back yard. I'm saying that we need to mark the times in our lives when God does great things. However you choose to do this is your decision. A lot of times I write songs about it. The question is, how can we ever remember something if we don't leave ourselves a reminder. Picture this...a Jewish kid is playing with his father by the Red Sea one two hundred years after the Exodus. He comes across a huge stack of stones. He asks "what is this daddy" to which his father is able to answer with a story about how God moved on that day so long ago and his ancestors were able to walk on the bottom of the sea and escape Pharoe's army.
What was your Egypt? What was your Red Sea? Will anyone ever ask you to tell them how God changed your life forever? Why don't you leave some stones.
T.J. Goff
www.tjgoff.com
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