"I Forgot"

Proverbs 3:1 My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments,

Forgetfulness, it plagues us all. And apparently it is not just a sign of old age. This father is speaking to his son not his grandfather. Growing up I must admit that on occasion I had my own father say to me as a young man, do not forget. Sadly young people have a tendency to forget. They do not forget where they placed the car keys or why they walked into a room. They forget much more important things.

• They forget that they were created by God
• They forget that God's ways are right and the way to peace and safety
• They forget that the pleasures of sin only last for a season
• They forget that without God we can do nothing
• They forget that our choices not our circumstances can make our lives unbearable.
• They forget one wrong choice can have life long consequences
  
• They forget we must all give an account to God one day
• They forget God's grace, goodness and compassion
• They forget they are sinners in need of a savior
• They forget that life does not consist in the abundance of the things we possess
• They forget God, consequently, there is no fear of God before their eyes

They forget. They heard the father , the preacher. They read the Bible but they just forgot. The reason they forget is that their heart is not in it. They don't care. We tend to forget things that we think are irrelevant. How many trigonometry classes, chemistry classes have we sat through wondering when will I ever use this stuff. And consequently as soon an the test is over (hopefully not before) we forget. It's irrelevant. And I am sure many people young and old sit in church with the same attitude. Listen to the preacher, read their Bibles saying when am I ever going to use this stuff. This has no bearing on where I am at or what my life is about whatsoever. What they are being taught seems boring because it is deemed useless. That is not a teacher problem or a Bible translation problem - that is a heart problem.
That's why this dad is wisely aiming at the child's heart. "Let your heart keep my commandments." He doesn't just want his child to go through the motions of obedience. The heart is where we really live - it is who we really are. It is where we keep all our precious things, like dreams, passions, our will, our desires, they are all resident in our heart. That's why obedience begins in the heart. Where we delight in God, where we are passionate about God's word. We obey God because we love God, we do not forget His Word because we love His word, we treasure it and memorize it because it is our spiritual food, our spiritual anchor, our spiritual compass to take us where God wants us to go. We want to live lives to bring honor and glory to Jesus Christ. We want to help others see the joy there is in following Christ.
People say all the time I' can't memorize, I can't remember things. But that is not true. We all remember things the only question is what.

Proverbs 2 1-5. shows us the attitude of the one who will not forget God's word
"My son, if you receive my words and treasure up my commandments with you, making your ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding; yes, if you call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding, if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God."

Remember your creator in the days of your youth. Do not forget but rather recieve, treasure up, be attentive, incline your heart, call out, search for, seek for it like silver, search for it like hidden treasure and look what God promises...

Proverbs 3:2 - 4 for length of days and years of life and peace they will add to you. Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you; bind them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart. So you will find favor and good success in the sight of God and man.

Proverbs 2:6 - 12For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding; he stores up sound wisdom for the upright; he is a shield to those who walk in integrity, guarding the paths of justice and watching over the way of his saints. Then you will understand righteousness and justice and equity, every good path; for wisdom will come into your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul; discretion will watch over you, understanding will guard you, delivering you from the way of evil, from men of perverted speech,

O God, create in me a new heart, a clean heart, renew a right spirit within me. "Thy word I will hide in my heart that I might not sin against You."