Edgar
Latulip was twenty-one years old when he vanished from Kitchener, Ontario. Gone without a trace for thirty years, his
family assumed that he was dead. Then in
February of this year, Latulip solved his own cold case when he suddenly
remembered his identity. Police believe
that a head injury that he suffered shortly after moving to St. Catherine’s,
Ontario caused him to lose all memory of his past. Eventually, a DNA test confirmed his identity
and he was reunited with his family.
Bad things happen when we forget who we are.
Bad things happen when we forget who we are.
In
Exodus chapter six, Moses was sent to God’s people with a message of hope and
help. However, verse nine states, “Moses
reported this to the Israelites, but they did not listen to him because of
their discouragement and harsh labour”.
Their circumstances caused them to forget about God and their
relationship to him. The fact that they
did not remember who they were made them ignore the good news that Moses had
for them.
It is
easy to forget our heavenly identity and focus only on our early
struggles. Thankfully, Psalm 34 gives us
some good reminders and the proper perspective. Space will not allow me to recount the
entire Psalm, but hopefully a few key phrases will encourage you to read the
rest of it for yourself.
David begins
by saying that he “Sought the Lord and he answered me” and that the “Angel of
the Lord encamps around those who fear him” (verses 4 and 7). This is the starting point. God sees, hears and cares about us. He has not gone away and left us alone. Rather, he is with us and protects us.
David
then goes on to list the good things he has been given. He has “good days” (verse 12) and lacks “no
good thing” (verse 10). In fact, he
challenges his readers to follow God and see if it is a better way to live: “Taste
and see that the Lord is good!” (verse 8).
Lastly
he proclaims that even our troubles can be used for our good because God will
deliver us and make us even stronger because of them (verses 19-22).
God
loves, cares, sees, helps, protects, forgives and strengthens. You are his child and he wants you to come
home.
Never forget that!
Never forget that!
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