I am a patriotic person. I even considered going into the military as a chaplain following 9/11, but decided against it as Tiffany and I started our family. Patriotism and military pride has been instilled in me from a very young age as both of my grandfathers served during World War II (one in the Army and the other in the Navy). For this reason, among others, Memorial Day is very special to me.
Memorial Day was first declared at the end of the Civil War in 1865, and established as a national holiday by the US Congress in 1971 to honor those who have given their lives in service to the country. It is one holiday, therefore, that is born from our loss and pain. We are blessed that we have the freedom and ability to take a day off, fire up the grill, and take a dip in the pool, but Memorial Day is about so much more.
One thing that has always inspired me about American history is the fact that the founders of our nation strove to set a foundation based upon the Judeo-Christian principles of love, grace, sacrifice, and justice. They believed that God cared about human freedoms and we would do well to consult with the Creator in all of our affairs, big and small. In fact, Benjamin Franklin is quoted as saying at the Constitutional Convention, "I have lived, Sir, a long time, and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth – that God Governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without his notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without his aid?"
Now before I go too far and wax poetic, let me assure you that I am aware that the US is not perfect—far from it. Our current situation has us worrying about the environment; industry and the economy; debating over torture vs. enhanced interrogation; and what will come of our personal liberties amidst the threat of terror. When we think about our current state of affairs, it would be easy to wonder if we've lost our way and forgotten the eternal truth espoused by Benjamin Franklin.
If we have indeed lost our focus, I think Memorial Day provides us a marvelous opportunity to return to our roots. Though we are an imperfect nation governed by imperfect people, we would do well to remember just how much God loves ALL his children and the opportunistic responsibility we have to engage the world with the light and love of God. So this Memorial Day, I want to ask you to remember three things:
1) Remember God's desire for us individually and corporately
2) Remember our nation and leaders, regardless if you agree with them politically
3) Remember those who have fought and sacrificed to secure and preserve our freedom
We would do well to remember these truths of life. So on this Memorial Day, may you be thankful for the many blessings in life and remember the source of all things, God! For this holiday is a celebration of memory and allowing it to shape where we go from here.
Happy Memorial Day,
Pastor Mark
Memorial Day was first declared at the end of the Civil War in 1865, and established as a national holiday by the US Congress in 1971 to honor those who have given their lives in service to the country. It is one holiday, therefore, that is born from our loss and pain. We are blessed that we have the freedom and ability to take a day off, fire up the grill, and take a dip in the pool, but Memorial Day is about so much more.
One thing that has always inspired me about American history is the fact that the founders of our nation strove to set a foundation based upon the Judeo-Christian principles of love, grace, sacrifice, and justice. They believed that God cared about human freedoms and we would do well to consult with the Creator in all of our affairs, big and small. In fact, Benjamin Franklin is quoted as saying at the Constitutional Convention, "I have lived, Sir, a long time, and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth – that God Governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without his notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without his aid?"
Now before I go too far and wax poetic, let me assure you that I am aware that the US is not perfect—far from it. Our current situation has us worrying about the environment; industry and the economy; debating over torture vs. enhanced interrogation; and what will come of our personal liberties amidst the threat of terror. When we think about our current state of affairs, it would be easy to wonder if we've lost our way and forgotten the eternal truth espoused by Benjamin Franklin.
If we have indeed lost our focus, I think Memorial Day provides us a marvelous opportunity to return to our roots. Though we are an imperfect nation governed by imperfect people, we would do well to remember just how much God loves ALL his children and the opportunistic responsibility we have to engage the world with the light and love of God. So this Memorial Day, I want to ask you to remember three things:
1) Remember God's desire for us individually and corporately
2) Remember our nation and leaders, regardless if you agree with them politically
3) Remember those who have fought and sacrificed to secure and preserve our freedom
We would do well to remember these truths of life. So on this Memorial Day, may you be thankful for the many blessings in life and remember the source of all things, God! For this holiday is a celebration of memory and allowing it to shape where we go from here.
Happy Memorial Day,
Pastor Mark
1 comment:
I am very grateful for my country, my faith, and my freedom.
Blessing to those who serve and the people that support them.
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