“Thou shalt remember the LORD thy God” (Deuteronomy 8:18).

It seems like a simply-stated directive, doesn’t it? The children of Israel were to remember the Lord their God. The word “remember” basically means to “keep before one’s mind, to mention, to recall.” Doesn’t that really speak to your heart? After all the many awesome ways that the Lord provided for them and made possible for them, they still had to be reminded to remember God.

This reminds me of the time that Dan called his family together.  All cell phones had to be turned off and everything that could tend to distract was to be put away because Dan wanted everyone’s attention.  Through tears he spoke graciously to his entire family. Not in an accusing way, but in a tender way, he quietly spoke. “Each of us here in this living room professes to know Christ as Savior. But I am afraid that we haven’t been living like we know Him. I’ll start with me first. I confess I haven’t been in His Word like I should be, and I haven’t been the spiritual leader I know the Lord wants me to be. That’s going to change today. I want to remember the Lord. I want to keep Him before me, and I am going to be helping each of you to do the same.”

What a tender but wonderful evening as each family member committed to reprioritizing their lives and remembering the Lord. Did they become the perfect family? Of course not! Did they still fail at times? Of course they did. However! As each of the family members committed to “remembering” the Lord, a precious joy and blessing returned to the family once again. They never forgot the night of the great turn around for their family.

For today: How will this challenge affect you today?