Memorial Day has special personal significance for me as I
remember my grandmother, “Baba,” who went home to be with the Lord on this
holiday when I was fourteen years old. She loved her family sacrificially,
enduring many hardships as a young wife, leaving her home and country to begin
a new life with her husband, to raise my mother and then me. She was a true Proverbs 31 woman in her
generosity, industriousness, and character, and I cherish the Godly legacy she
left me as a model of faith (Hebrews
11), charity (1 Corinthians 13),
prayer, and service.
Tangible reminders of Baba highlight my life, from
photographs on the foyer table and in albums, to tea towels she hand embroidered
in the Ukraine, to a print of the Lord’s Supper that adorned her bedroom wall, and
even to my medical school diploma, representing the education she helped
finance through her thrift and keen business sense.
As we celebrate Memorial Day in the United States, we
remember our fallen troops who paid the ultimate price to protect our freedoms,
and we thank them for their faithful service. By giving their lives, they
showed the self-sacrificing love epitomized by Jesus Christ, Who laid down His life to save His friends (John 15:13).
Jesus paid it all to bring peace between sinful man and
holy God (Colossians 1:20). He
became sin for us even though He was pure (2
Corinthians 5:21), holy and sinless (Hebrews 7:26), the perfect Lamb of God Who takes away the
sin of the world (John 1:29).
He rose again from the grave on the third day (1 Corinthians 15:1-4), proving that He is the Son of God and
God Himself, so that all who trust Him as Lord and Savior have everlasting life
(John 3:16).
Remembrances of God’s love, faithfulness and provision also
abound in the lives of His children. First and foremost, we have His recorded Word
(2 Timothy 3:16), His love
letter to us explaining where we came from, His instructions for how to live a fulfilled
life pleasing to Him (Proverbs, Psalms),
and His plans for our future (Jeremiah
29:11). Throughout the Bible we learn of tangible reminders of His
goodness.
The Ark of the Covenant contained the Ten Commandments
inscribed in stone (Deuteronomy 31:26;
1 Kings 8:9), a golden pot of manna that God provided to feed His
children in the wilderness, and Aaron’s rod that miraculously budded with
almond blossoms (Hebrews 9:4).
Men of God built altars and used Ebenezer stones (Joshua 4:7-24; 1 Samuel 7:12) to remember, honor and
praise God for His deliverance.
If we look at our own lives, there too are numerous emblems
of God’s blessings. Our spouse and children are answers to prayer for loved
ones to fill our daily lives with love, joy, purpose and meaning (Psalm 127:4; Genesis 25:21; Proverbs
18:22; 19:24). Our dwelling, possessions, clothing and food
represent God’s fulfilled promise to provide for our daily lives (Matthew 6:33; Psalm 37:25).
Treasured mementos, photographs and letters remind us of the legacy left by our
loved ones, and how God enabled us to achieve the goals and dreams He planted
in our heart (Ephesians 2:10).
Notes written in our Bible, in a prayer journal, or in our
hearts prove God’s faithfulness (Lamentations
3:23; Psalm 36:5; 89:1-2)) over and over as He answers prayer in the best possible way, with His perfect timing, working all things
together for our ultimate good, for the good of others, and for His glory (Romans 8:28). May we remember the
name of the Lord our God, His works and wonders (Psalm 20:7; 77:11), and His Word (John 12:16; 16:4).
As we visit the graves of fallen heroes on Memorial Day and
beyond, decorating them with flags and flowers, we remember their service and
sacrifice. May we also never forget God’s mercy, grace, and goodness (Hebrews 4:16), from the cross of
Jesus Christ, Who died for us while we were yet sinners (Romans 5:8), throughout our Christian walk, and His recorded
promise to bring us home at the Rapture (1
Thessalonians 4:16-17) to live with Him and our loved ones in Him throughout
eternity!
© 2018 Laurie Collett
4 comments:
Dear Laurie,
So according to your article, the USA has its Memorial Day on May 26th? Here in the UK we have Armistice Day, which is always on November 11th, but instead we observe Remembrance Sunday, which is the nearest Sunday to November 11th, when the Queen, the rest of the Royal Family, all Government ministers, and all surviving war veterans, lay a wreath at the Cenotaph in Central London. In all other towns across the UK, locals lay wreaths at their own cenotaphs.
There has been some Members of Parliament who campaigned to make Armistice Day a public holiday, but this has not been successful, I think, due to the inconvenience of it falling on a different day of the week each year.
Apparently, your grandmother seemed to have been a very godly and devoted member of your family. This seems to confirm my suspicion that these bygone generations took their faith more seriously and with greater devotion than many in our present generation. And that certainly applies here in the UK as well.
An excellent post, God bless.
Sadly, it seems that we are losing that sense of appreciation for what others have done for us, simply accepting the fruits of their labors as our due and angry when things are not exactly the way we want them. That un-thankful attitude sets us up for Satan to gain control of our lives and ultimately of our country. Thanks for a great reminder of how much God, and others have done for us.
Dear Frank,
First let me apologize for not responding to your comment sooner. For some reason, I didn't get the email I usually get whenever a comment appears on the blog, and it wasn't till I thought to look at the blog page itself that I realized you had left a comment.
Memorial Day in the US is celebrated on the last Monday in May -- May 28 this year, and May 30 in the year my grandmother died. It is good that the UK has a similar observance.
I think you're right that there were more heroes of the faith in previous generations than there are today, no doubt reflecting the insidious and escalating removal of God from our schools, courts and culture. Yet another sign, perhaps, of the End Times.
Thanks as always for your comment and God bless.
Laurie
Thanks, Donald, for your encouragement and insights. It does seem like a sense of entitlement and lack of appreciation and gratitude are on the rise in today's culture, hindering our Christian walk and allowing Satan to flourish. Praise God that He Who is in us is greater than He Who is in the world.
God bless,
Laurie
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