Gentle On My Mind 

Photo courtesy of Pixabay.com

The message is evident, God is gentle on my mind.

It’s everywhere. In our world. In the past and present. Giving thanks falls short when God is forgotten.

Photo courtesy of Unsplash.comGod’s people have a history of waning. They remembered. They forgot. They cried out to God. The cycle repeated.

The Lord’s blessings were gentle on their mind. Excitement pacified. Thanking God for His abundant provision went missing when life was going off without a hitch.

How could this be? He had proven His great power. His miracles. Going to endless lengths and heights to show His faithfulness. He rescued and came through for them countless times. His love surpassed anything on earth.

They soon forgot all of it. Giving thanks floundered in life’s-good-right-now moments.

Psalm 106 tells their story of forgetfulness. Inflicted with a God’s gentle-on-my-mind attitude. The cornucopia overflowed—thankfulness didn’t.

The writer admonishes thanks right out of the gate, “Praise the Lord! Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!”

As we turn the page, the Psalmist recounts the Lord’s many works and blessings provided to the children of Israel. And their lack of thanks is scattered throughout the chapter.

Words like this:

They did not remember the abundance.

They sang his praise, but they soon forgot.

They forgot God who had done great things.

They forgot his works.

They cried out to be saved so that they could give God thanks.

On first reading, I did some finger-pointing. My thoughts weren’t gentle. For goodness sake Photo courtesy of Pixabay.compeople, get a clue of who God is and what He has done.

However, I knew the struggle was real. The cycle repeated in me. The epitome of fickle. God’s goodness strapped to my thoughts like a rocket carrying thankfulness into every nook and cranny of my life. Then the rocket fizzled.

Thankfulness was gentle on my mind.

I want the Lord to save me from something so that I can give Him thanks. I sang God’s praise last week. Yesterday. The minute things become harrowing, I soon forget to praise. To give thanks. God’s goodness and greatness is forgotten.

I go on my merry way behaving as if I sustain myself. Until the way is no longer merry. Like the Israelites, I cry out to God who has proven himself as faithful. He parts seas. He causes water to flow from rocks. He faithfully leads. He gives shelter and mana. And more. So much more. He gives the Lamb—His Son who takes away the sin of the world.

Nonetheless, the cycle is repeated in our culture. In the end, God’s forgotten. How could this be? His faithfulness and love surpasses anything on the earth. It happens. God is remembered. Forgotten. Cried out to again.

Here’s a clue: God is good. God is great.

What can we learn from God’s people in the past as God’s people today? Perhaps part of the answer is found in another portion of the story. In Psalm 78, they established a testimony to tell the coming generations about the glorious deeds of the Lord in order to set their hope on God. To remember God was their rock.

Photo courtesy of Pixabay.comGod’s salvation is our testimony. His grace, mercy, love, and tender care witness to His goodness. His blessings are as numerous as the stars in the heavens.

We can break the cycle by never forgetting.

Words like this:

They remembered.

They remembered.

They remembered.

They gave thanks.

 

(Images courtesy of Pixabay.com and Unsplash.com.)

Karen Friday

Whether the spoken or written word, Karen thrives in moving an audience to experience laughter, tears, surprise, and deep reflection. She not only possesses an affection for words (just ask her family), but she also cherishes God’s Word. Karen is an award-winning writer who has published both devotions and articles with a mission to know Jesus more and make Him known. She contributes to several national sites while she works on her first non-fiction book. In the blogging world, she is referred to as “Girl Friday” where she shares a central message: you are never far from hope. And she considers her life as a pastor’s wife and women’s ministry leader a sacred calling. Karen and her husband Mike reside in East Tennessee and have two grown children and two grandchildren. The entire family is fond of the expression, “TGIF: Thank God it’s Friday.” They owe Monday an apology. Connect with her blog community, Hope is Among Us.

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