Don't Forget God?

One of the most misused and seemingly oversimplified adages that I hear people quote to me is 'don't forget God.' The person who says it seems to mean well, but the adage just annoys me. I know that life can get busy and one thing seems to overwhelm another, but honesty, can anyone who's actually had an experience with God or has seem Him undoubtedly change a hopeless situation, forget Him? I use the sword in the stone image to emphasize a point about the presence of God in the believer's mind. The only thing that the image doesn't effectively show is a branding iron at the end of the portion inserted. Yes, I said a branding iron. You see, for the believer, there must be a moment when you become acutely aware that you've been branded. God's name has been irrevocably inscribed onto your brain. Furthermore, the protruding end has been broken off leaving the both the brand and the partially protruding instrument in place for perpetual burning.

A scholar of the bible would ask me where I get this assertion from. Galatians 6:17 states: From henceforth let no man trouble me: for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus. The word here rendered marks, means properly the marks or brands which are pricked or burnt-in upon the body (Barnes' Notes on the Bible). For Christ these were real and very physical, but for us they are and remain very strongly spiritual.

Even if the adage implies a reminder to pray daily, rest assured that we have a line that isn't supplied by AT&T. Our connection to the Lord is eternal and unbroken. Don't mistake my meaning as to say that we don't need to pray, rather that God will continue to speak to us, at us and around us as we move through the day. The opportunities to communicate with God are innumerable. Some would have you believe that salvation is up some days and down in others. There are songs completely devoted to "don't leave me, Lord." But, by His word God can not leave us. We know this because it's emphasized at least 3x in scripture.

For now I have chosen and consecrated this house that My name may be there forever, and My eyes and My heart will be there perpetually (2Chronicles 7:16).

No man will be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I have been with Moses, I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you (Joshua 1:5).

Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you (Hebrews 13:5).

For the one who strives to maintain a fresh and vibrant relationship with Christ, I don't think that forgetting God is possibe. So, if you ever have the pleasure of hearing the adage 'don't forget God' directed at you, then do as I do. Smile and simply reply, if you must, "Impossible."

Cheers and keep on running!