Memorial Day

The other day was Memorial Day.  Memorial Day was originally a day when we were supposed to remember all those who have died in service to their country and decorate their graves (thus the original name, Decoration Day).  Now, we tend to use it as a day to remember all of our loved ones who have passed away.

That’s all right.  There’s certainly nothing wrong with remembering loved ones who have passed away.  That’s something we should do.  Still, I think we need to put a special emphasis on members of the military who died while serving.  I think it’s especially important for someone like me, who did not serve in the military, to do that.  After all, these people did something that I was not willing to do.

Jesus said, “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”  Think, then, of how much love people in the military must have.  They are not just willing to lay down their lives for their friends.  They are willing to lay down their lives for every American, people they like, people they don’t like, and many, many people whom they have not met and never will meet.  That’s an incredible amount of love to have.

The Apostle Paul wrote, “Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die.”  Again, think of what people in the military do.  They are willing to die not just for the righteous but for the unrighteous as well.  They are willing to die not just for good people but also for bad people.  People in the military go above and beyond even anything contemplated in the Bible.  That’s pretty awesome.

It’s after Memorial Day when you’ll be reading this, of course.  But there’s no law that says we can only remember our military people on Memorial Day.  So, if you have not done so already, say a prayer of thanks for those who gave their lives in service to our country.  Say a prayer of thanks for those who are risking their lives in service to our country now.  And say a prayer for God’s protection on those people, that they may all return home safely.

Someday, the prophecies of the book of Revelation will be fulfilled and there will be no more war.  Until then, we need to be thankful for all those who have or have been willing to give their lives for the rest of us, as well as those who are doing so now.  May God bless them and protect them.