God asked Moses to consecrate every firstborn mail to Him. He wanted them to celebrate this huge event. They would eat no food with yeast in it. He let them know that the future was going to hold "a land flowing with milk and honey," and that they were to not forget God.
That's not a lot to ask, if you think about it. He delivers us and asks us to remember Him and ... basically, be His friend, walk with Him, and be grateful and thankful for what He's done. God was very practical with this stuff. Many of the monuments He had them build were just simple visual reminders to trigger their memory (and the memories of their children, and children's children, and so on...).
Why do we forget about God?
Why do we take Him for granted?
Why does our devotional life turn into a few prayers each day over the food we eat?
Why does our life become routine, when it could be an adventure?
Why are our hearts prone to wander?
What can be done to prevent a wandering heart?
How do "spiritual disciplines" (like fellowshipping with other believers, reading the Word, and prayer) help us cultivate hearts that stay in tune with and fresh with our love for God?
A couple of significant details are introduced in this chapter of Exodus: God has the Israelites head out of Egypt through the desert path, rather than the quick highway out of town... God said, "If they face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt."
We also see that, "By day the Lord went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night. Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people."
That is SOME amazing sign -- and it was ongoing for them. Now, that I would like to have seen!
Lord,
Please keep my heart fresh and alive in You. Please help me do what I can to ward off my wandering ways. May You instill in us a habit of spiritual action and discipline that makes our reputation be one of abiding rather than wandering. May You change us.
Amen.