The Forgotten One

"Continue to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." - 2 Peter 3:18 (TEV)

My adorable niece was practicing naming all her aunts and uncles. She has ten of them on the one side of her family so for this young and innocent girl I'm sure keeping them all straight can be difficult. I was sitting with her and as she rattled them off and realized she was missing one, and that one was me, she said, "I always forget you."

I teased her about forgetting me by giving her a silly sad face. She went through the list again and with a little help was able to make her way through naming off all ten of her aunts and uncles. We giggled and my silly sad face became a happy face.

But oh how that enemy of mine was lingering and ready to have a field day with those four words, "I always forget you."

We were attending a spring dance show for another niece of mine when these words were said, and memories came flooding in of another time when I was the forgotten one. My memory just happened to be from my own spring dance show back when I was in high school. I don't remember specific details, but what I do remember is after the show ended and friends prepared to go out for the evening, I was left behind. I was the forgotten one.

I've carried that identity for most of my life — the insignificant, small and forgotten one.

You know the image that is shared of the devil on one side of your shoulder and an angel on the other? As I sat there with my niece giggling my way through the temptation to feel that smallness again, the image became all too clear.

Devil: You are still the same insignificant, small and forgotten one.

God: I have not forgotten you. Fight the temptation to believe those words with my truth.

"Remember these things, Jacob, for you, Israel, are my servant. I have made you, you are my servant: Israel, I will not forget you." - Isaiah 44:21 (NIV)

Matthew 4:1-11 shares how Jesus was tempted by the devil in the wilderness. He was tempted three times and each time he responded with God's Word. Read here. While the temptation I was facing that morning was very different from those of Jesus, the point of the temptation was the same. Temptations come to distract us from the path of following Jesus. But we must keep our eyes fixed upon Jesus..the author and finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2).

"... Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God...." - Hebrews 12:1-3 (MSG)

Satan wanted to tempt me, but I was armed and ready with God's Word.

Those words, I always forget you, no longer held the same truth to me. They were said by an adorable little girl who I simply don't spend enough time with for her to easily remember me.

I have not been forgotten.

My dear friends the only way to be armed and ready with His Word, is to spend time in His Word. As shared by John Baker in his book, Life's Healing Choices, "The key to growth is to have roots deep down in God's Word." And I mean roots deep down. Time in His Word is needed on a daily basis because those temptations will keep on coming. So "keep on keeping on" in His Word. "Keep on keeping on" towards the finish line. Run with perseverance the race He has marked out for you" (Hebrews 12:1).

“If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” - John 8:31-32 (NIV)

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Linking with Michelle.