I love looking through old pictures and videos taken over the course of my life. Even as a young child, I would take home videos my parents created and watch them religiously (on VHS, of course). Now with our ever advancing technology, I have an endless number of photos and videos, most of which will probably be lost in “the cloud” never to be seen again.

But when I do have the time, I love scanning through the electronic folders overflowing with memories galore because it helps me picture my life in chapters. It helps me remember good times and hard times. It helps me remember the God who authors my story and whose goodness and mercy follows me all the days of my life.

Remembering is important, but forgetting is easier.

I wish I always remembered God’s goodness in my life, but I don’t. I wish I always remembered that all things work together for good to those who love Him, but I don’t. I wish I always remembered to be thankful and prayerful in all things, but I don’t. I wish I always remembered how God answers prayer, but I don’t. This is no insignificant thing; forgetting what God is like is one of the greatest tragedies of our Christian walk.

This is why we are told in Scripture to take care, lest we forget.

Take Care Lest You Forget

Forgetting is a frustrating reality of the human experience. From the most important things to the most mundane; we are prone to forget. Whether it’s forgetting your anniversary or forgetting to put the laundry in the dryer, there’s no limit to our ability to forget. Forgetting can lead to minor inconveniences in our lives or cause major problems.

But there is something far more serious and problematic we are prone to forget; that is the Lord our God.

As I read through the Old Testament, I’m struck by Israel’s inability to remember God’s goodness. Yet it seems so often their story is our own. These aren’t just ancient stories; they are pictures of our present reality.

Imagine being enslaved 400 years only to be miraculously delivered from your masters. Imagine walking across a sea on dry ground then witnessing the destruction of your enemy right before your eyes by that same sea. Imagine being led by a pillar of smoke and fire in the desert. Imagine being provided for daily with food from the sky when you were starving. Imagine being given victory over enemy strongholds with much fewer men. Imagine watching a shepherd boy slay a giant with a stone. Imagine being the chosen people of God blessed beyond measure with the law of God and set apart as a testimony to all other nations.

God knew the Israelites would forget Him once they received His blessings. This is precisely the context in which he warns them in Deuteronomy 6:12: “Take care lest you forget the Lord, who brought you out of the Land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.” And again in Deuteronomy 8:11: “Take care lest you forget the Lord your God by not keeping his commandments and his rules and his statutes, which I command you today.”

We see the same issue in Psalm 106: “They did not consider your wondrous works; they did not remember the abundance of your steadfast love” (Verse 7). “They soon forgot his works; they did not wait for his counsel” (Verse 13). “They forgot God, their Savior, who had done great things in Egypt” (Verse 21).

Yet, in spite of all the blessings and the warnings, Israel forgot the Lord. They forgot what He was like continually.

Forgetting is a big deal to God.

What About Us?

Not us though, right? We would’ve been faithful! I’ve thought that when reading Israel’s history.

But now imagine being enslaved by sin only to be miraculously delivered through faith in Jesus Christ. Imagine possessing the Holy Spirit who daily guides you through all of life’s trials. Imagine having your physical needs met daily and abundantly. Imagine having the full armor of God at your disposal to take down enemy strongholds. Imagine being given the earth as an inheritance from generation to generation. Imagine being chosen by God before the foundation of the world to be called Friend, Child, and Bride of Christ. Imagine being set apart as a testimony of Christ to all nations.

Yet in spite of all these blessings, we forget the Lord. We forget what He is like continually.

We are not so different from the Israelites of old. Their story is our story. Forgetting the Lord has been in the DNA of His people throughout all time.

We forget the love He pursues us with. We forget about the trials He has carried us through. We forget about His mercies that are new every morning. We forget the immense blessings we’ve been given in Christ as a gift. We forget that He is sovereign over all things.

We begin to believe that God has forgotten us when it is us who have forgotten Him.

We must take care, lest we forget the Lord.

But You O Lord

I recently heard a podcast by Sinclaire Ferguson talking about the writer of Psalm 102 that was pure gold. It gave me great perspective on the dangers of forgetting God but also on the blessings of remembering Him. This Psalm provides all of us with a practical way to lift our spirits when the challenges in front of us seem so great.

Please take a few minutes to read this Psalm. In it you’ll find two radically different lenses the Psalmist puts on in light of his circumstance. Through verse 11, we find a man who has been hung out to dry. He’s defeated. He’s depressed. There is no evidence of joy or confidence in his words. He feels as though his days are “withering away like grass.” The name of God isn’t on his tongue.

Then in verse 12 something amazing happens! These 4 life-altering words are spoken by the Psalmist:

But you, O Lord

Sinclaire Ferguson describes the radical transition between verses 11 and 12 like this: “It’s as if the Psalmist has pressed the ignition switch. The engine of grace has been fired up. The spiritual memory file has unfrozen.”

In other words, the Psalmist turned his attention to the unchanging characteristics of God and away from his own distress.

Notice that this man’s situation did not change, but where he drew his gaze did. He did not deny the realities in front of him or wish them away. Instead, he remembered the Lord and what He is like and everything changed. It’s as though his troubles literally melted away in the light of God’s goodness.

We should remember these great words of transition, “But you O Lord.” They have the power to transform our disposition from sadness to gladness, from complaining to thanksgiving, and from doubt to faith.

When you feel the weight of uncertainty of your child’s future, say out loud: “But you O Lord have plans to prosper them and not to harm them, plans to give them hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11)

When you don’t know if you’ll be able to have the patience today for the meltdowns and the outbursts, say out loud: “But you O Lord are patient toward us, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.” (Psalm 103:8)

When you feel like even the most mundane things are hard, say out loud: “But you O Lord sympathize with our weaknesses.” (Hebrews 4:15)

When you’re exhausted, say out loud: “But you O Lord renew our strength.” (Isaiah 40:31)

When you feel sad about the way the world sees your child, say out loud: “But you O Lord bind the wounds of the brokenhearted.” (Psalm 147:3)

When you’re frustrated with your child’s struggle to communicate, say out loud: “But you O Lord understand them and know their words before they are spoken.” (Psalm 139:4)

When you’re having the most challenging day, say out loud: “But you O Lord are sovereign and work all things together for good.” (Romans 8:28)

When you’ve forgotten the blessings of God, say out loud: “But you O Lord remember your covenant forever.” (Psalm 105:7)

When you have sinned, confess and say out loud: “But you O Lord do not deal with us according to our sins nor repay us according to our iniquities.” (Psalm 103:10)

But you O Lord remember us.

Remembering Gods’ Goodness On The Autism Journey

How does this apply to our autism journey?

Anyone with a child with autism understands that the daily challenges are many. Not only many, but always changing. Each day brings the temptation to forget God’s goodness and focus instead on the challenges in front of us.

This journey is characterized by one step forward and two steps back. Each day brings a unique set of challenges. The temptation is to dwell on them, leading to frustration and disappointment. Sometimes all we can focus on in front of us is the next sea to cross, the next desert to wander through, or the next giant to fight.

It’s easy to forget what God has brought us through.

I remember well the days when Ellie was completely nonverbal. I remember praying over her at night asking God if He’d be willing to allow her to speak. I prayed desperately. I even bargained. I told Him that if He answered this one prayer, all would be okay and I wouldn’t need anything else.

God was kind to answer that prayer. But sadly the joy of answered prayer began to wane as new challenges arose. All I saw was the next giant in front of me and I forgot the goodness of God in answering that prayer. That’s just one of several examples.

It turns out I was dead wrong about something else too; I need God’s provision more as each day passes, not less, because the challenges aren’t going away this side of eternity.

But God has begun to help me see challenges as opportunities; opportunities to remember His goodness toward us. As each new challenge comes, it’s as if God says, “Are you going to trust me this time?” So I suppose, in the positive sense, God gives us an abundance of opportunities to remember Him on the autism journey.

To anyone else who shares in this journey full of challenges, say out loud, “but you O Lord give us an abundance of opportunities to remember you and to trust in you.”

As we set our gaze upon the Lord, let the engines of grace be fired up and our spiritual memory files unfrozen.

And let us all take care, lest we forget the Lord.