Day 6 Through The Bible

Living Life with God in Mind: A Biblical Reflection on Everyday Life and the Consequences of Forgetting Him

In our fast-paced world, going about our daily routines without giving much thought to God is easy. We wake up, eat breakfast, go to work, handle our responsibilities, and then wind down at the end of the day—all without pausing to acknowledge the One who gave us life and everything we have. Yet, this is precisely the kind of life that led to destruction in the past, as seen in the days of Noah and Lot. There is a profound lesson for us today: living life on our own abilities without considering God is not only spiritually dangerous, it is also wicked.

The Wickedness of Self-Sufficiency: Lessons from Noah and Lot

In Genesis 6:5, we read, "And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually." This verse describes the state of humanity just before the flood. People were living their everyday lives, but they had forgotten God. They relied on their abilities and did normal activities like eating, drinking, marrying, and building—as we do today. But the difference was that God wasn’t in their thoughts, and this absence of God in their daily lives led to wickedness.

Jesus Himself pointed to this when He spoke in Luke 17:26-29: "And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all. Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot, they did eat, drank, bought, sold, planted, and builded; but the same day that Lot went out of Sodom, it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all."

Noah and Lot lived in a society consumed with daily activities, yet there was a critical difference: God remembered them and brought grace and mercy. God saved them because they were righteous, and He spared their lives amidst the destruction that came to those who had forgotten Him.

The Destructive Power of Forgetting God in the Ordinary

The stories of Noah and Lot serve as stark reminders of the danger of forgetting God in daily life. It's not just the "big sins"—those massive moral failures we often think of—but God's presence can be absent even in ordinary, mundane tasks. Eating, working, and socializing are not inherently evil, but if done apart from God, they can lead to a spiritually bankrupt life.

The people of Noah’s day didn’t wake up one morning and decide to turn against God grandly and overtly. Instead, they continued their daily lives without ever acknowledging God in their actions. The result? Their hearts' imaginations became "only evil continually," and the world descended into wickedness.

Similarly, in Sodom, the people went about their lives, eating, drinking, buying, selling, planting, and building, without considering God. When destruction came, it wasn’t just the significant moral failures that led to it but the cumulative effect of living without acknowledging God in the small, daily things.

The Practical Application: Thanking God for the Everyday

So, how can we apply this Biblical principle to our daily lives? It starts with a simple but powerful act: taking the time to acknowledge God in ordinary tasks. One of the most practical ways to do this is to give thanks before meals.

Think about it: when you wake up and sit down to eat breakfast, it’s an easy moment to pause and recognize that the food before you is a gift from God. A simple prayer of thanks serves as a reminder that this provision didn’t come from your strength alone—it is God's blessing.

Giving thanks before meals is a spiritual practice that aligns our hearts and minds with the truth that every good thing comes from God. It is a small but meaningful way of acknowledging that we are not self-sufficient and need God for every aspect of our lives. Even in the simple act of eating, we can live with God in mind.

Why Do You Pray Before Meals?

If you’re accustomed to praying before meals, you might not think much about why you do it. For many, it's a tradition or a habit learned from childhood. But perhaps it's time to reflect on the deeper purpose behind this practice. Praying before meals isn't just a religious ritual—it's a tangible way to prevent the creeping influence of self-sufficiency and spiritual forgetfulness. By thanking God for food, we acknowledge His provision and remind ourselves that He is with us in the most essential parts of our day.

If you don't yet have this habit, consider starting today. Whether it's a quick prayer of gratitude or a moment of reflection on God's goodness, thanking Him for your meal is a simple, powerful way to keep your life centered on Him. It reminds you that no matter how routine or insignificant an act may seem, God is present in all things, and we depend on Him.

Conclusion: Living With God in Every Moment

The lives of Noah and Lot remind us of the importance of not living our lives in isolation from God. It's easy to fall into the trap of relying solely on our abilities and forgetting to acknowledge Him in everyday activities. But as the Bible shows, this can lead to spiritual disaster. In contrast, when we pause and recognize God’s hand in every moment, we align with His will and prevent our hearts from being led astray.

So, the next time you sit down to eat, don’t just say a prayer because it’s what you’re “supposed to do.” Reflect on why you’re doing it: to acknowledge that God is the giver of all things and to remind yourself that your life is not your own but belongs to Him. In doing so, you’ll begin to see how life's small, simple acts can become powerful opportunities to keep God at the center of everything.