Lest We Forget
by Frank Lim, Deacon
In the mid-70’s, a young couple sat on top of the world. They faced a bright future. He was finishing his service in the USAF, and had in hand an offer to a prestigious residency program; she was a nurse instructor. They had a son, a bright little baby, who was the center of the universe for them. He was their little god.
During medical and nursing schools, dating and early marriage, rigors of internship and nursing practice, military life and friendships, they had fallen away from their respective Catholic and Lutheran faiths. They resisted attempts by friends to bring them back to church.
Then tragedy struck. Out of the blue, their son started having hundreds of seizures every day. After extensive testing and consultations, he was diagnosed with Infantile Spasms, a neurological condition with a poor prognosis of progressive mental and physical impairment. The couple found themselves in a downward spiral of despair, desperation, and deep depression.
In the midst of this turmoil, people from a small Baptist church rallied around them, and prayed for them. A caring surgeon introduced them to Jesus, who was calling them to Himself. They accepted His call, and at that moment, there was peace and hope in their lives. No deals were made.
They only asked God to help them to love and care for their son, whatever the outcome of the illness was. Over a period of months, the seizures gradually abated and ceased altogether. Today the couple is reminded often of God’s faithfulness and grace, the healing of their son, and more importantly, of His calling them to Jesus.
Psalms 106:6-7 “We have sinned, even as our ancestors did: we have done wrong and acted wickedly. When our ancestors were in Egypt, they gave no thought to your miracles; they did not remember your many kindnesses and they rebelled by the sea, the Red Sea.”
Psalms 106:19-21. ”At Horeb, they made a calf and worshiped an idol cast from metal. They exchanged their glorious God for an image of a bull, which eats grass. They forgot the God who saved them, who had done great things in Egypt.”
Moses constantly reminded the Israelites of their plight in and flight from Egypt, and yet they continued in their grumbling, disobedience, and worship of idols. Are we like the ancient Israelites? Have we failed to remember the good things God has done for us, His love and grace and the gift of salvation ? Have we forgotten His forgiveness, provision, compassion and mercy ? Do we continue being discontented, immersed in today’s culture, which draws us away from God and His precepts ? Do we continue in the worship of idols, be they persons, objects, or activities ?
Lent is the season when we can reflect on Jesus going through the events of Holy Week because of His amazing love for each of us. It is a time to remember, and be thankful. It is also a time to become more aware of the idols in our lives and to ask the Holy Spirit to help us to remove them.
We may forget, but God remembers His covenant to us. Out of His great love, He relents and shows us His mercy. (Psalm 106:45-46). Our God is forever faithful!
By the way, the couple referred to above is Diana and me, and the baby boy is our eldest son, Brian, a clinical psychologist.
Prayer: Father, may we always remember what a good and merciful God You are, and make us into a thankful people. Jesus, we thank You for Your love that brought You to the Cross on our behalf. And Holy Spirit, we thank You for Your presence in each of our lives. Guide us away from the thing that distract and take us away from You. In Your name we pray, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.
