Keys to the Kingdom – Carolyn Tucker
The other day I found a nearly-empty jug of maple syrup in the refrigerator. I thought for a moment how to get rid of it in order to make more storage available in the fridge. So I pulled out a jar of peanut butter and whomped up a concoction my Dad used to eat on hot homemade biscuits. (He also ate pancakes with peanut butter and syrup.) Since I didn‘t have any biscuits or pancakes, I just ate it like pudding. I can’t remember the last time I ate peanut butter and syrup on a biscuit. Somehow, through the passing of time, I’d forgotten all about this lip-smacking treat! How could I forget something that yummy?
God knows that humans have a tendency to forget, so we’re reminded of His loving benefits in the following verses: “Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless His holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits: Who forgives all your iniquities, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from destruction, who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, who satisfies your mouth with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s (Psalm 103:1-5 NKJV).
Believers are to bless and praise the Lord with our whole being (soul). Our entire life is to bring glory to God as we continually remember the great things He’s done for us. Worship is a 24-7 lifestyle and everyday is an opportunity to show the lost and broken that someone on earth and Someone they can’t see loves them. The other day while driving, I was listening to Glen Campbell sing, “Try a Little Kindness.” As I absorbed the lyrics I thought, “This is a song you could sing in church.“ Here’s verse 2: “Don’t walk around the down and out, lend a helping hand instead of doubt. And the kindness that you show every day will help someone along their way.” That sounds an awful lot like Luke 20:25-37. And at the end of the Parable of the Good Samaritan, Jesus said, “Go and do likewise.” We need to remember this teaching.
As children of God, we shouldn’t forget why He created us. We’re God’s visible reps, thinking and acting as He would. God also desired fellowship with mankind. To me, one of the saddest verses in the Bible is Genesis 3:8 NKJV: “And they [Adam and Eve] heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden.” The moral of this story is to remember to fellowship with the Good One and not the evil one. When the serpent (Satan) began his deceptive conversation with Eve, she should have said, “Shut up, Liar!” and walked straight into God’s rock-solid arms. God wanted fellowship, but the devil only wanted to destroy a loving relationship.
There are numerous scriptures regarding the importance of not forgetting. “Keep on loving each other as brothers and sisters. Don’t forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it!” (Hebrews 13:1,2 NLT). To say you’ve never seen an angel may very well be an untruth. “And don’t forget to do good and to share with those in need. These are the sacrifices that please God” (Hebrews 13:16 NLT). All believers have a mission and shouldn’t be standing around scratching their heads wondering what they’re supposed to do for God. It’s plain and simple: Do good and share.
The Key: Don’t forget all of God’s benefits and remember to bless His holy name.