Signs of Forgetfulness + A Truly Bad Knock Knock Joke
In which Brent learns the early warning signs of slipping away from being amazed by grace.
The Pun
The Prayer
"I am the LORD who brought you out of the land of Egypt to be your God."
In reading through Leviticus this week, I noticed this phrase appears five times in varied forms (Leviticus 11:45, 19:36, 22:32-33, 25:38, 26:13). Those things God repeats are often the things we most need burned into our minds through repetition. They are the things that we are most likely to forget.
Now in a technical sense, this fact is an unlikely memory to fade. How could a Hebrew have forgotten the ten plagues, the parting of the Red Sea, the demise of Pharaoh, and the Lord's provision of manna, meat, and water in the wilderness? Why would these wanderers need a five-fold reminder of the single most astounding events their eyes had ever witnessed? And analogously, how could we forget such a great salvation as was guaranteed at Golgotha and realized in the resurrection? Might I need a reminder too?
Likely, the average descendant of Abraham could have told you the stories of deliverance just as the average church goer could outline the events of the gospel. Yet often what the mind grasps, the heart lets slip and the hands and feet fully fail to live out. Disobedience reveals a heart un-amazed by grace. The context of each of the five aforementioned phrases disclose tell tale signs of a drift from "saved" to "self-reliant".
We have forgotten God's salvation when ...
... we take our identity as God's chosen people lightly: God's commands to avoid eating unclean animals in Leviticus chapter 11 serve as an outward sign to distinguish God's people from all others. "You shall therefore separate the clean beast from the unclean [...] You shall be holy to me, for I the LORD am holy and have separated you from the peoples, that you should be mine.” (Leviticus 20:25-26). We have forgotten what we were saved out of when begin to live like we were still in it. For this reason chapter 11 concludes with the reminder: "I am the LORD who brought you up out of the land of Egypt to be your God." (Leviticus 11:45)
... we take obedience lightly: Leviticus 19:19-37 contains a mixed bag of statutes pertaining to agriculture, sexual immorality, fortune telling, tattoos, honoring the elderly, treating foreigners well, and using correct measurements. Again, the list is concluded with the phrase: “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt. And you shall observe all my statutes and all my rules, and do them: I am the LORD.” (Leviticus 19:36-37). When we take obedience to the Lord lightly, we have forgotten that we have not just been saved out of a past slavery, but also into a gloriously ordered kingdom of righteousness.
... we take the holy lightly: Leviticus 22:17-33 lays down regulations as to what animals are acceptable as a sacrifice to the Lord. Specifically, there are warnings against offering blemished and mutilated animals upon the altar. These cautions culminate with the admonition to never profane the holy name of God: “And you shall not profane my holy name, that I may be sanctified among the people of Israel. I am the LORD who sanctifies you, who brought you out of the land of Egypt to be your God: I am the LORD.” (Leviticus 22:32-33). When we secretly offer our second best to God, it publicly proclaims that He is not the foremost in our midst.
... we take God's grace lightly: Every Israelite was to receive an inheritance in the coming promised land. However, over time, individuals would invariably become indebted to each other. For this reason, Leviticus 25 outlines how, in the year of Jubilee, all debts would be cancelled and all properties would returned. Furthermore, a brother's poverty was not to be seen as an opportunity to make money through charging interest but rather as a chance to lend without gain, helping them get back on their feet. “You shall not lend him your money at interest, nor give him your food for profit. I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt to give you the land of Canaan, and to be your God.” (Leviticus 25:37-38). When we see others as opportunities to gain from rather than give to, we have forgotten that everything we have was a gift of God to begin with.
... we take the miracle of living in God's presence lightly: Leviticus 26 begins by listing the blessings of living according to God's ways. These blessings include productive harvests, peace in the land, and victory in battles. The greatest blessing of all, though, is listed last: “I will make my dwelling among you, and my soul shall not abhor you. And I will walk among you and will be your God, and you shall be my people. I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, that you should not be their slaves. And I have broken the bars of your yoke and made you walk erect.” (Leviticus 26:11-13). Greater than all that God gives is the opportunity to live constantly in His presence. When prayer becomes a burden rather than a blessing, when reading His words becomes a discipline more than a delight, and when our envisioned hope of heaven fails to make the presence of God it's foremost feature, we may well have forgotten what we were saved into.