There was an old Saturday Night Live sketch with Tom Hanks called “Mr. Short Term Memory.” It was about a man who only held things in his memory for a few seconds, and then totally forgot them. Can you imagine how frustrating it would be to deal with such a person?
In Exodus chapter 15, the Israelites are much like Mr. Short Term Memory. They had witnessed and walked through one of the most awesome miracles known to mankind…the parting of the Red Sea. This miracle proved God could do anything. Then, just three days later, they are complaining about not having anything to drink; as if the God who parted the Red Sea couldn’t handle a drink of water. Talk about short term memory! Just three days!
Why is it we’re so quick to forget God’s mighty power and provision in our lives? Why is it we’re so quick to forget the love and strength by which He promises to guide us? (Exodus 15:13)
In the flesh, we tend to focus on what we can touch and see. But we are called to live by faith, not by sight. (2 Cor. 5:7) (Rom. 1:17) We are called to live by faith rather than flesh. This means we must operate on what we know about God, rather than what we know about our circumstances.
Seeing only what is in front of you leads to forgetting the God who is ahead of you. This type of short-term memory leads to short-term faith…operating on the circumstances you see, rather then the God you don’t.
The Israelites forgot the Red Sea miracle in just three days. What has God done for you that you are you too quickly forgetting?
Bret Legg is the Teaching and Counseling Pastor at Warren Baptist Church in Augusta, GA.