Memorial Day or Remembrance Day
The Truth about Memorial Day
Memorial Day or Remembrance Day
This weekend many people will celebrate Memorial Day by going to the beach. And many will celebrate Memorial Day by doing what great American have traditionally done, shopped and bought Chinese goods. Can you think of a more meaningful way to honor the fallen soldiers? (Sarcasm intended) Others will celebrate with a picnic. Perhaps a few will go down to the parade and watch some veterans drive past. In Portsmouth Virginia we have the oldest Memorial Day parade and I encourage you to watch it. It is great to honor the veterans and those still in the service.
When I was in Europe, I visited many cemeteries from World War I. At Verdun France there were numerous cemeteries and the French cemeteries had rows and rows of memorial stones. Most tomb stones were white crosses, a few had the Star of David on them, while the Moroccan and Tunisian soldiers had Arabic looking tombstones with Arabic script on them. The German ones almost always had one verse inscribed on them: John 15:3: “Greater love has no one than this: that one lay down his life for his friends.” If the entire verse was not inscribed, then the reference would be inscribed: John 15:3. What a statement commending the soldiers who died. As the old saying goes, “All gave some, some gave all.” I think about the Confederate cemeteries here in the Old Dominion. In Norfolk there are the Elmwood and Cedar Grove Cemeteries where over eight-hundred Confederates are buried. What is sad with the cemeteries is all those soldiers died for a lost cause. They gave their all but in the end, it was a futile death. So many dead.
I then think of Jesus Christ, and what a contrast. Instead of eight-hundred soldiers in one of many cemeteries, only one man had to die and He was successful in what He accomplished. In Christ’s death, believers go from a down-trodden Lost Cause to a Triumphal Parade, far better than victory ticker-tape parades through New York City. Further, because Jesus Christ is God-Man, He rose from the dead and then ascended to heaven. So this Memorial Day I plead with you to remember the dead and honor them. Without their sacrifice, we would have no freedom. But more importantly, celebrate Memorial Day by celebrating Christ’s victorious death. He was the ultimate soldier and He paid the ultimate sacrifice. He also won the ultimate victory by conquering Satan and satisfying God the Father with His blood. In Christ we have victory. Praise God from Whom all blessings flow!
This weekend many people will celebrate Memorial Day by going to the beach. And many will celebrate Memorial Day by doing what great American have traditionally done, shopped and bought Chinese goods. Can you think of a more meaningful way to honor the fallen soldiers? (Sarcasm intended) Others will celebrate with a picnic. Perhaps a few will go down to the parade and watch some veterans drive past. In Portsmouth Virginia we have the oldest Memorial Day parade and I encourage you to watch it. It is great to honor the veterans and those still in the service.
When I was in Europe, I visited many cemeteries from World War I. At Verdun France there were numerous cemeteries and the French cemeteries had rows and rows of memorial stones. Most tomb stones were white crosses, a few had the Star of David on them, while the Moroccan and Tunisian soldiers had Arabic looking tombstones with Arabic script on them. The German ones almost always had one verse inscribed on them: John 15:3: “Greater love has no one than this: that one lay down his life for his friends.” If the entire verse was not inscribed, then the reference would be inscribed: John 15:3. What a statement commending the soldiers who died. As the old saying goes, “All gave some, some gave all.” I think about the Confederate cemeteries here in the Old Dominion. In Norfolk there are the Elmwood and Cedar Grove Cemeteries where over eight-hundred Confederates are buried. What is sad with the cemeteries is all those soldiers died for a lost cause. They gave their all but in the end, it was a futile death. So many dead.
I then think of Jesus Christ, and what a contrast. Instead of eight-hundred soldiers in one of many cemeteries, only one man had to die and He was successful in what He accomplished. In Christ’s death, believers go from a down-trodden Lost Cause to a Triumphal Parade, far better than victory ticker-tape parades through New York City. Further, because Jesus Christ is God-Man, He rose from the dead and then ascended to heaven. So this Memorial Day I plead with you to remember the dead and honor them. Without their sacrifice, we would have no freedom. But more importantly, celebrate Memorial Day by celebrating Christ’s victorious death. He was the ultimate soldier and He paid the ultimate sacrifice. He also won the ultimate victory by conquering Satan and satisfying God the Father with His blood. In Christ we have victory. Praise God from Whom all blessings flow!