Gentle On My Mind

The message is evident. God’s gentle on my mind.

It’s everywhere. In our world. In past history and present day.

Giving thanks falls short when God is forgotten.

God’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.

But 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 vast 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 backlashed with judgmental finger-pointing. My thoughts weren’t gentle, For goodness sake people. 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 gave the Lamb—His Son who takes away the sin of the world.

Nonetheless, the cycle is repeated in our culture by God’s people . . . by all people.

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. Repeat.

But there’s a discourse for human minds to ruminate on: God is good. God is great.

God’s blessings are as numerous as the stars in the heavens.

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. He’s our rock.

God’s salvation is our testimony. His grace, mercy, love, and tender care witness to His goodness.

We can break the cycle by never forgetting.

Words like this:

They remembered.

They remembered.

They remembered.

They gave thanks.

 

*All Scripture references are ESV.

*This is a revised article that first appeared on Inspire A Fire.

© 2016 by Karen Friday, All rights reserved