Remember The Mile Markers

I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your wonders of old. (Psalm 77:11)

It’s funny how easily we can forget what God has done for us in the past when we are face to face with a trial or problem. We can become worried and concerned about the outcome of our trial and sometimes insert our hands into the situation, trying to gear it in the direction we think it needs to go. This doesn’t mean we never take action, but sometimes we may try to force a direction which can lead down the wrong path, moving us further and further away from the path we are supposed to be on. Fear can do that.

God calls us to remember the things He has done for us for a reason. Part of it is to help us remain firmly on the right path and not veer off in another direction. This is why we must remember our spiritual mile markers.

A mile marker is one of a series of numbered markers placed along a road or boundary at intervals of one mile or occasionally, parts of a mile. They provide reference points along the road. This can be used to reassure travelers that the proper path is being followed, and to indicate either distance traveled or the remaining distance to a destination. A milestone, which is another word for a mile marker, can also represent a significant event in your life. The spiritual mile marker is similar. Just as a mile marker and a milestone can inform you of a specific location on the road or path, they can also represent a specific time or event in your life.

When we are faced with difficulties, trials or temptations, we must look back at the mile markers in our life, those significant events in the past when we were faced with similar issues and we relied on the Lord and He saw us through it. It could be an illness, a temptation, a death of a loved one, a relationship issue, an addiction, etc. God calls us to remember the times when He was there for us, delivered us, and set us on the right path and helped us to continue moving forward. He calls us to remember the times we feared the worst but He provided the best. He calls us to remember when during our worst temptations when we felt as though we were going to fall once again, we called upon Him and He provided a way out so we could endure it (1 Corinthians 10:13).

Our problem is that we can go through such a period of time where things are going well and we forget what God has done for us. We receive our healing, our homes, our vehicles, our jobs, good finances, good food, etc and we forget and begin to leave God behind. In Deuteronomy 8, Moses speaks to the people prior to crossing the Jordan river, reminding them to remember the Lord their God. He reminds them how God led them the last 40 years in the wilderness to humble them and test them, to know what was in their heart, whether they would keep His commandments or not. How their garments did not wear out nor did their feet swell. He reminds them to keep God’s commandments yet warns them about being prideful and we find some of this in Deuteronomy 8:11-20:

11 “Beware that you do not forget the Lord your God by not keeping His commandments, His judgments, and His statutes which I command you today, 12 lest—when you have eaten and are [e]full, and have built beautiful houses and dwell in them; 13 and when your herds and your flocks multiply, and your silver and your gold are [f]multiplied, and all that you have is multiplied; 14 when your heart [g]is lifted up, and you forget the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage; 15 who led you through that great and terrible wilderness, in which were fiery serpents and scorpions and thirsty land where there was no water; who brought water for you out of the flinty rock; 16 who fed you in the wilderness with manna, which your fathers did not know, that He might humble you and that He might test you, to do you good in the end— 17 then you say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand have gained me this wealth.’18 “And you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth, that He may [h]establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day. 19 Then it shall be, if you by any means forget the Lord your God, and follow other gods, and serve them and worship them, I testify against you this day that you shall surely perish. 20 As the nations which the Lord destroys before you, so you shall perish, because you would not be obedient to the voice of the Lord your God.

I have chosen to add all of this scripture in here because so many times we do what the Israelites have done. God frees us and helps us along, but in time when things are going well, we have food, a home, material possessions, and some cash in our pockets, we forget. We begin to look at what “we” have accomplished and forget that it was God who has provided. Then when troubles arise, we either become worried and fearful and try to fix things in our own way or we go running back to the Lord for help and the process repeats itself.

All God wants is for us to remember Him and love Him. To be appreciative of what He has done for us and to remember it. He wants us to remember so the next time problems arise, we will look back at the mile markers and how God had taken care of our past problems and to hold tight to our faith. He wants us to obey the rules He has set up for us because without boundaries and rules, there is chaos. We are seeing this in our world today where more and more people are pushing past the boundary lines, tossing our the rules in order to get what they want. The outcome of this is chaos and eventually destruction.

We must not find our security in our bank accounts, our possessions, or own hands or other people. Each one of those can easily be lost. We must find our security in God because He can never be lost. Jesus assures us in John 10:28-30:

28 And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand. 30 I and My Father are one.”

We must take comfort in this and rely only on God for our help. This doesn’t mean we don’t allow others to help us out when we need it because God can send others to help us as part of His plan. What it means is that we don’t rely on and find our security in other things and people and leave God out. It means we must remember that we are not the creators. We are the created.

Take the time today to re-evaluate your spiritual journey. When problems arise, are you looking back at the mile markers to be sure you are headed in the right direction and to remind you of all God has done for you and to help you to keep moving forward? Or, in your fear, are you forgetting what God has done and can do, and looking to the world to help you out? Are you trying to take things into your own hands and make your own path? Are you trying to “help God out” by taking over? Wherever you are, offer up that prayer of faith, remembering all God has done for you, and present the situation before the Lord. You may have to walk through some rough and rocky terrain, but God will guide you through it, walking by your side until you get to the end of the problem.

Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’ (Isaiah 41:10)