The
face of the LORD is against evildoers, to cut off the memory of them from the
earth. The righteous cry, and the LORD hears and delivers them out of
all their troubles. The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves those who are
crushed in spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD
delivers him out of them all. Psalms
34:16-19
Over the past
century, more than 35 million men and women answered the call to arms in World
War I, World War II, Korea, Vietnam, the Persian Gulf, Iraq, and countless
unnamed military engagements. More than half a million of them never came home.
Some died in battle, others in
captivity; all died too soon.
Recent military
action in Afghanistan and Iraq has offered fresh reminders of the human reality
of war: ordinary men and women leaving homes and families and all they know to
risk their lives for an ideal of honor, or duty, or just to protect the soldier
next to them. People of patriotism and
goodwill may debate the merits of any given war, police action, or humanitarian
mission. But there should be no debate
about our debt to the hundreds of thousands of our citizens who have given the
ultimate sacrifice of their lives heeding the nation's call to service.
Memorial Day is
more than the start of summer. It is a chance to pause and Remember
the sacrifices -- remember
the gallantry and bravery -- Remember the fallen.
It’s a day America sets aside to Remember those citizens who took a few steps farther
than most. These men and women
volunteered to don a uniform, raise his or her right hand and swear to defend
the Constitution against all enemies. While millions of Americans have taken
those extra steps, for thousands it would be their final footsteps.
It’s for those whose feet will never tread upon the
earth again that we Remember on this single day of the year. The bravest of the brave, heroes we called
soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines or coast guardsmen. None took the oath knowing their time on earth
would end too early. They had hopes,
dreams, desires; they thought about the future. But these people didn’t return, at least not
as they left. Most returned to a lonely ramp at Dover Air Force Base in
Delaware.
As we go about our everyday lives we shouldn’t be
admonished if we don’t Remember them with sadness and mourning. After
all, life isn’t about grieving every day.
So as we go about our lives, we will take one day to accomplish one
single task: Remember. While
enjoying the freedoms that came with the sacrifice of someone we never met, we
should Remember. While we enjoy the freedom to be who we are, Remember
that somewhere someone will shed a tear, something they’ve done every single
day since they received the most terrible news they will ever receive.
To those families; the children, the mothers,
fathers, brothers, sisters, the husbands and wives, we say thank you. Thank you
for the sacrifice your loved one made for us, and for the sacrifice you live
through every single day. We can never change what has happened, but we can
always do one single thing: Remember.
In our worship services this Sunday we will collectively
give thanks for those lives sacrificed for freedom. We will Remember!
Scripture to Claim:
"For the mountains may be removed and the hills may
shake, But My lovingkindness will not be removed from you, And My covenant of
peace will not be shaken," Says the LORD who has compassion on you. Isaiah
54:10
