It is a great tragedy to have never known God (2 Th. 1:8). But, greater still is the tragedy of having known God only to forget Him (2 Pet. 2:21). After an exhaustive struggle to find the meaning of life, Solomon discovered the whole essence of life is to “fear God and keep His commandments” (Eccl. 12:13). This observation sheds light on his exhortation to the next generation: “Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth…” (Eccl. 12:10).
If we don’t remember God today, it becomes all the more difficult to remember Him tomorrow. The Scripture warns us about being “hardened by the deceitfulness of sin” and “falling away from the living God” (Heb. 3:12-13). The ancient Israelites frequently went through spells of forgetfulness. Material prosperity became an underlying cause of their forgetfulness as did their persistent practice of idolatry (Dt. 6:10-12; Jer. 2:32). Their history is given “for our instruction” — to keep us from making the same mistakes (Rm. 15:4; 1 Cor. 10:11).
Remember God in all your plans (Lk. 12:16-21; Jas. 4:13-16). Remember God in your giving (Gal. 2:10; 1 Cor. 16:2). Remember the church in your encouragement (Heb. 10:23-25); in your example of unselfishness behavior (Ph. 2:3-5); and in following those who keep watch over your souls (Heb. 13:7, 17).
In the end, perfect recall of human wisdom means nothing if we have forgotten “the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus” (2 Tim. 3:15 cf. 1 Cor. 1:21). Remember God, then, in how you live; in how you love; and in how earnestly you long for things above (Col. 3:1-3).
— Glen Elliott —