In the book of Deuteronomy Moses is giving his farewell speech in preparation for Israel to cross the river and go into the promised land. Over and over Moses repeats, “Do not forget the Lord your God.” The reason Moses repeats this message is that the Israelites were very consistent in forgetting God.
God brought them out of Egypt for the explicit purpose of taking them to the promised land. When God speaks he means what he says. Therefore the situations and circumstances don’t always reflect God’s will, call, or promises spoken.
One example in Exodus 15 after the Israelites pass through the red sea, they go three days without finding water. On the third day they find a big body of water but it is undrinkable and they began to freak out. Moses prays to God and is instructed to grab a stick and throw it in the water which made the water sweet.
Up to this point God did all the signs in Egypt which caused Pharaoh to let them go. Before they left, God told them to ask all the Egyptians for clothes, jewelry and gold and by so doing totally looted Egypt. Then God parted the red sea for safe passage for Israel and to kill Pharaoh’s army.
After they pass through the red sea they walk for a day but found no water. Then day two they continue on the journey. In this caravan there are babies, kids, teenagers, young adults, adults, middle aged, and aged people all with their livestocks. Animals need water, people need water. I’m sure they brought jars to store water but they didn’t have extra for the animals. As they finish the second day they never came across any water.
The Israelites just left everything they knew and they left in a bit of a whirlwind. As they start up on the third day it’s possible that they are questioning what they are doing out in the wilderness. They find some water but very quickly their hopes of salvation from thirst is dashed by the water being bitter. But God has a solution. Instead of having faith, they lash out on Moses.
The reason God brought Israel out of Egypt was to take them to the promised land. The God who had the power to get them out of Egypt also had the power to get them through the wilderness to the promised land.
The point is that it is easy to lose sight of what God has said about purpose, vision, potential, about life and life abundantly. It’s possible to get so focused on what you can’t see that you forget to remember what has been done and said.
David said in Psalm 199:99
“I have more understanding than all my teachers, for Your testimonies are my meditation.”
It’s like what Mufasa said to Simba in the lion king, “remember”.