“Spiritual Amnesia”

May 8th, 2006

With only two weeks till we move, I’ve been pretty busy around the house packing and excitedly watching my e-mail for updates on my newfound hobby. After cleaning through some things as we are packing, Bobby and I have found all kinds of books, CD’s and movies that we don’t want to keep. So I opened a seller’s account with Amazon.com where I have posted them and as of today I have already sold over $100 worth!

Tyler will be 12 weeks old this week. He is growing and just cute as ever! The changes we are relishing the most are how he laughs and squeals when he’s happy, how when he’s on his back he kicks his legs really fast, and how he can even roll over from his tummy to his back. It’s so fun to see him respond to the high school students and how excited they get when he gives them a smile. He’s such a joy and Bobby and I are just enjoying him more each day. He recently got sick from a mild eye infection. I didn’t know I’d be so worried when the little guy got sick for the first time, but I was! With some ointment and a couple of days taking it easy, he’s almost all better.

Last week I finished a great book that I highly recommend–A Heart for God by Sinclair B. Ferguson. This is an older book written by an older British man (the spelling is always “colour” and “realise”). One big reason I like this book is because it is oriented towards Biblical exposition. In the preface Ferguson writes:

————————————————-
It is only as Christ’s words remain in us and we remain in
him that we will be delivered from the rootless Christianity
so characteristic of our times. As his word influences us, we
begin to bear fruit and prove to be his disciples (Jn. 15:5-8).
Only as God’s Word makes its impact on the way we think, live,
and feel will we develop hearts that are characterised by
obedience to God and filled with love for him.
————————————————-

This book takes a very different approach than most of the bestsellers in our Christian bookstores today. Rather than a man-centered mentality, the contents of this book are all about God. Each chapter takes an in depth look at a characteristic of God, that He is holy, three persons, the Creator, eternal, etc… Ferguson says many times that only when we have a correct and high view of God will we have a proper view of ourselves and how desperately we need Him.

In the last chapter Ferguson addressed a heart issue common in Christians. He calls it “spiritual amnesia.” He says that being a decisive, determined Christian who has set their heart to remember the Lord is no longer popular or even expected. Christians somehow find it easy to forget the Lord and His commands. Anything about holiness, righteousness or obedience is considered too serious for the “average” Christian. Day to day Christians find it hard to remember to pray or remember God’s will. I was convicted when Ferguson pointed out that this forgetfulness is nothing more than “…disobedience, disloyalty, backsliding, faithlessness.” I was inspired by how Ferguson believes that God’s Word and the Holy Spirit enable a believer to overcome and conquer their own hearts in this weakness.
I think back to the Israelites and how they seemed to have a very bad case of this “spiritual amnesia.” God was with them, providing for their every need, took them out of Egypt and yet they still strayed from Him. Ferguson says that we act the same way today because we fail to see and profit from the Lord’s past activity in our lives and in history and also because we have a proud heart in response to His generous goodness to us. In Deuteronomy 8, Moses exhorts the children of Israel–”Be careful not to forget the Lord and to observe His commands.”
Ferguson helped me see the seriousness of forgetting God. I need to be submitted to God’s will and His Word, ready to see all that His grace has done in my past and satisfied with all that the Lord provides, acknowledging that it all comes from Him. At one part in the chapter Ferguson talks about all the blessings God has given to us and asks, “Do you have the Lord Himself with these things, or do you have them without Him? Have you forgotten the Lord?” What a horrible thought– to have all His blessings, but not Him. I was very encouraged from this book that I need to be whole in my devotion to the Lord. This book helped me know God more deeply and convicted me of the need to put away my forgetfulness and submit my heart to Him at any cost.

5 Comments

  1. Kim
    May 8th, 2006

    I really enjoyed this post Christa! A great reminder to about not forgetting God! Thanks!
    Oh- I finally wrote another blog! :] And a new song as well!
    Good luck with all the packing and preparation to move!

  2. Sarah
    May 8th, 2006

    Great comments. “The Knowledge of the Holy” by A.W. Tozer has some similar thoughts about how our view of God really shapes all the rest of our lives and walk with Him. Something I thought of just today when I was upset over something someone else was doing - the Holy Spirit reminded me that that person wasn’t making me mad, I was choosing to be mad. It was my choice to sin and have a bad attitude about the situation. It is easy to justify our sin by saying “I forgot” or “I didn’t have time” or “They made me”. It is convicting to take ownership of our sin and see it as what it really is. Thanks for your thoughts on this.

  3. Jaclyn
    May 8th, 2006

    I love your “book reviews” and am amazed that you still burn through books with a newborn in your home! I cannot wait until I have endless hours to nurse and read! hahahaha! I am excited for you and Bobby with your new adventure. God Bless!

  4. Monica
    May 8th, 2006

    wow. thank you. :)

  5. Bradford Smith
    May 9th, 2006

    Your post caused me to remember the ways God has blessed me in the past. The main way is that I have heard preaching every week as long as I can remember and access to a Bible anytime I wanted. When I contrast this to one of my housemates (in England) who has never had a Christian friend besides me, I realize how gracious God has been to me.

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