Do Not Forget…

Reading in Deuteronomy all the various laws, marriage violations, uncleanness in camp, miscellaneous laws…one thing you keep seeing is a reminder. God reminds the Israelites not to forget where they came from.

Deuteronomy 24:17 “Do not deprive the alien or the fatherless of justice, or take the cloak of the widow as a pledge. Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and the Lord your God redeemed you from there.”

The memory of their own poverty and oppression in Egypt was to prompt them to leave generous gleanings (grapes and grain not harvested) for the poor sojourner, the widow, and the fatherless.

So how does this verse affect you and me? How should I view this verse in the light of my own life?

First we are to remember we were bought with a price. Galatians 3:13 says, “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us.” This should bring us to our knees, knowing Christ paid the price for our sin. We cannot ever forget we were once lost and now we are saved…amazing grace…in fact…When John Newton the writer of Amazing Grace became a Christian, he printed verse 22 in large letters and hung it over his mantelpiece, where he would be constantly reminded of it.

Secondly we cannot forsake our civic duty to care for those who are less fortunate. We must take care of the widow and the fatherless. We must take care of the alien…the alien? What about the illegal alien? Do we have an obligation to care for them as well…According to the Bible we have an obligation to care for them as well. It doesn’t matter what side of the political fence you sit on, the fact is God wants us to care for them. In caring for them we are showing Christ loves them…and we are remembering our own redemption.

So there you have it…do not forget where you came from and let the love of Christ shine in you for others to see. It is easy to do, forgetting, it is easy to become complacent and comfortable. But in our comfort let always be mindful of the ones who everyday struggle for a bowl of rice, a dry place to sleep…or security to just sleep. Let us never forget we too are aliens…that this is not our home. One day we will have to go home and give an account of our visit…

-ps