You know, I really love Memorial Day Weekend. Sure, there are the patriotic sounds, music, movies, and marathons. Sure, there are festivals, food, fun, and a day off. But that's not really what I love about Memorial Day. Memorial Day isn't Memorial Day in front of a TV watching baseball or barbecuing, to me. Memorial Day is a "church day". There's no place I'd rather celebrate Memorial Day than in church.
You may think that my church does some elaborate recognition programming or acknowledgement. Maybe they play the key songs that you'd think of. Maybe they'd present the flags in ceremony. Maybe there'd be some heart-wrenching story in the sermon about a person, man or woman, that gave their life for their country, their family, friends, and strangers. Maybe there'd be another story about others, survivors, that came home from war only to be tormented, ridiculed, and forgotten by their own society and culture.
In fact, we don't usually do any elaborate thing at all. Veterans are called to stand while we applaud them. Families of fallen veterans are called on to stand for acknowledgement. We applaud - thanking them for their own sacrifices they made serving our country. Our Pastor didn't preach on service to God and Country. He didn't specifically praise them for their accomplishments or sacrifices. He preached on Grandparents. He talked of the value that the generation of today's veterans, yesterday's war heroes and scrubs, mean to today's children. He highlighted the significance of the stories that exist to be told, the affection that these people have stored up, ready to dispense and the wisdom that they have from a life well-lived.
All of that is true. I love patriotic music. The day off is great. I adore barbeque. I truly enjoy talking to seniors that want to tell a story, guide and offer advice, or impart some nugget of information that God gave them. But that's not why Memorial Day is special to me. Memorial Day is special to me because of the relationship that exists between what these men and women did and what my God did (and does) for me.
Memorial Day is the opportunity to remember and recognize that God is the source of ALL freedom. Without Him, we are slaves to sin, transactors of evil, and capable of nothing worthy His recognition. With Him, we're not much better, but at least we know that we will be glorified, perfected, and in His presence one day. That alone (and there's MUCH more that He does) is worthy of our undying worship. We happen to live in a country that affords me the ability to worship the God I choose - THE God of the universe - with little fear of persecution. We all know that not all peoples have such a luxury.
THAT is what I'm most thankful for to the veterans of our armed services. They served their country, pure and simple. Most rarely or never talk about it. They don't go seeking fame or glory or even thanks. Most of the ones I know stand reluctantly when they're called up for recognition. These are men and women or valor, courage, humility, and integrity. They are selfless. They understand that there's more than themselves. There's something bigger than themselves. To some of them, it's Country. To others, it's Country and God.
I never want a life given up for me to be wasted or in vain. I have a responsibility to honor and respect the sacrifice made in my behalf. They looked at the threat of death and accepted the risk. They could have chosen not to. But they fought battles, and sometimes died, for me. As an imperfect human, I was destined for death. But Jesus looked at me (and you) and accepted the task and fought for me. He could have chosen not to. But Jesus Christ fought the battle, and died, for me. However, Jesus rose again. He went where even our war heroes and veterans couldn't. He went to the depths of death and won over it to rise and walk again.
I have freedoms many times over. I have the freedom from eternal death. I am free from the shackles that sin can impose. I am free from intimidation from Satan. I am free from political prosecution. I am free to work, play, and worship as I please. I am free because of a few good men (and women). I am free because of the God-man, Jesus Christ.
The great thing is I have all of that and I can still go enjoy some barbeque and maybe catch a baseball game on my day off too.
Later.