This weekend we celebrate Memorial Day. Memorial means that we are supposed to remember something.
We remember the soldiers who fought and died so that we can live in a free country. Many of them sacrificed their lives so that we could gather together and worship Christ without being afraid of being punished.
In Deuteronomy 4:9, we read
“Only be careful for yourself and watch over your soul diligently, so that you do not forget the things which your eyes have seen and they do not depart from your heart all the days of your life; but make them known to your sons and your grandsons.” (NASB)
Moses is teaching the people in the wilderness. In the name of God he is creating a community which will become a nation. He gives them laws that embody the virtues of justice. They will have to fight to claim their homeland and to defend it. They will face many challenges to their commitment to God and justice.
Moses warns them, “But take care and watch yourselves closely, so as neither to forget the things that your eyes have seen nor let them slip from your minds all the days of your life; make them known to your children and your children’s children.”
On our national holidays we are reminded of the values and principles that our founders taught us, and we are called to remember and to pass them along. We renew our commitment to liberty and justice for all.
We give thanks for those who have risked their lives and lost their lives defending those principles. We remember them and thank them for their honor and courage.
On this day we remember the men and women who died for our freedom. But we also remember Jesus Christ who died so that we could have freedom from our sins.
A Prayer for Memorial Day
O Lord God of all, we remember before you with grateful hearts the men and women of our country who paid with their lives for the liberties we now enjoy. Grant that we may not rest until all the people of this land share the benefits of true freedom through Christ our Lord. Amen.
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