Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name!  Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits.

(Psalm 103:1-2 NIV)

Old man Woodruff loved golf, but his failing eyesight was making it harder to play.  One day, he grumbled to the clubhouse manager, “I can’t play with my glasses — they keep falling off.  But I can’t see without them!”

“Why don’t you play with Hughes?” the manager suggested.  “He’s ninety-eight years old, but his vision is perfect.”

So, the next morning, Woodruff and Hughes hit the course. On the first tee, Woodruff took a swing and watched the ball sail down the fairway.  “Did you see where it went?” he asked Hughes.  “Sure did,” the old man replied. 

“Well, where is it?”   

“I forgot,” Hughes replied.

It’s a humorous story, but behind the humor lies a serious truth.  Sometimes, we have eyes that can see, but we forget.  And when it comes to our walk with God, that forgetfulness can do even more harm than blindness.

There are many people in the world who are completely unaware of God’s presence or goodness.  But perhaps even more heartbreaking is when those of us who do believe, those of us who have seen his blessings, begin to take it all for granted and forget to respond with gratitude.

David’s words in Psalm 103 are not just a call to praise; they’re a call to remember: “Forget not all his benefits.”  That line alone is worth committing to memory.  Every new day, every breath, every answered prayer, every undeserved mercy — all of them are gifts from a generous God.  But without intentional gratitude, we begin to treat blessings like background noise.  Something that’s always there, but never noticed.

Let’s commit ourselves to be the kind of people who not only see the goodness of God but also remember to thank him for it.  Don’t let his grace go unacknowledged.  Don’t let his mercy become routine.

Because while forgetfulness might be humorous on the golf course, it’s no laughing matter in our walk with God.

Prayer: Lord, open my eyes to your blessings, and open my heart to gratitude. Help me to remember not just what you’ve done, but who you are. May praise be always on my lips as I remember your goodness.  In Jesus’ name, amen.

Alan Smith
Reprinted with permission from Alan Smith’s Thought For the Day