Don't Forget

After my senior year in high school, most of my friends went off to colleges that were out of state. I always enjoy getting to see them again when they come into town because I am reminded of the many qualities that make each of them unique. I find that the longer I am away from them, the more I forget about how funny they are, what they sound like, and sometimes, because I go so long without seeing them, the picture of them in my mind’s eye becomes blurry. Because we are humans, there are times when we will fail. When we sin, we separate ourselves from God and, when we constantly sin against Him, it is easy to forget who He really is.

The kingdom of Judah experienced this exact same thing. In Isaiah 1, we read of a vision given to the prophet Isaiah concerning the rebellious nature of Judah. In verses 2-3, God says:

The children I raised and cared for have turned against me. Even the animals--the donkey and the ox--know their owner and appreciate his care, but not my people Israel. No matter what I do for them, they still do not understand.

As you can see, the people of Judah had turned their back on God for so long that they no longer recognized Him nor appreciated His care! Because the kingdom of Judah continued to sin, they cut themselves off from God’s help; their rebellion against God constantly invited the punishment for their sins (verse 5) and the country lied in ruins (verse 7).

In Isaiah 1:10-15 wee see that God was not happy with the sacrifices that were made by the people of Judah. This was because their sacrifices were only outward expressions without inward faith. Isaiah 1:16-20 shows us the command from God to Judah to turn from their sins and to seek Him. God lets them know that, even though they were stained with sin like scarlet (which is a deep-red permanent dye that is virtually impossible to remove), He could make them as white as snow if they would obey Him. However, if they chose to turn away from Him and refused to listen to His instructions then they would be destroyed.

Do you feel like you have been so far from God for so long that you have forgotten who He really is? Like Judah, we have all had times in our lives where we have strayed from God and His will for our lives. This passage reminds us that, if we turn from our sins and obey God’s instructions, He will come near to us. However, the longer we turn our back on Him, the more we will invite punishment into our lives for the evil deeds we do. To truly experience who God is and the love He provides, we must indulge ourselves in a relationship with Him and strive to do what He instructs us to. Don’t allow sin to cause you to forget the wonderful things God is capable of doing in your life.