When we first moved into our house 6 years ago there was some major construction on the highway we traveled to and from work. It was so irritating. Traffic always backed up in that spot and there was no way around it. It seemed to take forever to get home in the evenings, and that was made very clear when we had a hungry baby in the car with us. Now, however, that area of highway is nice! It is one of the fastest moving sections of highway in the whole Dallas/Fort Worth area. We know once we hit that section of highway it is smooth sailing to get home. In fact, it is so smooth, that it is real easy to forget how hard it was to travel that section of highway at one time.
Our lives are like that...God does some work in us, we learn a lesson and when the construction is done we quickly move on and forget the work that was done to make us better. It can be hard when we are going through the construction, but when the mess is all cleaned up and we are moving forward just fine we often forget about the work that was done. I don't drive down that stretch of highway and think "wow, I am so glad they did that construction." I just enjoy the drive, usually thinking about what I am going to do when I get home.
I think the Bible warns us of this in Deuteronomy 9:11 "But that is the time to be careful! Beware that in your plenty you do not forget the Lord your God and disobey his commands, regulations, and decrees I am giving you today." This was a warning to the Isrealites from Moses just before they crossed the Jordan and moved into the promise land. God had taught them so many things during their journey in the wilderness, and it was about to end. They were about to have everything they desired. Their direct need for the Lord's guidance, direction, and provision was almost over. He wanted to make sure that once the construction was over and they were moving in the fast lane that they didn't forget what the Lord had done for them to get them there and what he had taught them along the way.
I pray the same thing for myself daily with where we are in this journey. I know that God has me at a place right now that I have to rely heavily on Him each day. I know he is getting ready to show us what is next for us and things will be smooth sailing soon. I want to follow Moses's advice and BE CAREFUL not to forget the Lord my God in my time of plenty. I am working hard to create habits that will continue after this part of the journey and praying regularly that I hold tight to Jesus even in the land of plenty that is to come.
What have you done (or are doing) to remember those times of construction in your life?
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