Memorial Day

Today is Memorial Day which is a day where we remember those who gave the ultimate sacrifice or gave their lives in a battle protecting the United States or a cause that benefits the United States. Memorial Day is a favorite day for many because we get together with family and loved ones for a cookout or gathering on the water—probably not this year, though—or many other activities. Memorial Day is also considered the unofficial start of summer.

Memorial Day does serve a specific purpose and rightfully so as we should never forget that many people fought and died for something much bigger than themselves. The founding fathers wrote “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” because they envisioned a society that valued these aspects or characteristics so much that they would include them into our nation’s founding document. It is true that many in the human race believe that each one is a God given right; we know that human beings typically do not honor such things as God given rights.

As Americans, we have been raised with the concepts of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness but we understand from history that life and liberty are not two aspects that are values by many in this country or others around the world. Because of this fact, we do have to fight and stand up for what we believe in to keep them: “And they shall fight against thee; but they shall not prevail against thee; for I am with thee, saith the LORD, to deliver thee” (Jeremiah 1:9). As a nation that honors God particularly those of the Christian faith, Memorial Day is a significant day because we must remember the sacrifice that our God made for each of us.

It is important to remember that God came to this Earth as a way to reveal Himself to His creation but also, as a way to save each one of us including the nonbelievers. God came in the form of Christ of give a way for each person to enter into Heaven and there is no way we could do that on our own and God knew that so rather than offering any other sacrifice, He offered Himself up as His blood is the only way to pay for our sins, past and present, and while the sacrifices made from our uniformed men and women give us the ability to enjoy life and liberty here on Earth and to pursue happiness, the sacrifice of Christ is much larger: “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23).

As a proud American and a patriot, I do my best to support the military and our police officers and emergency personnel in all they do. The United States is the freest society on Earth and the most prosperous and generous nation in the history of the world and I am personally grateful for being an American but even more so, I am thankful to be a Christian. My acceptance of Christ is a choice unlike the place where we are born but much like the place we are born, I am able to stay or leave in my acceptance and/or faith but what I am not able to do is to get into Heaven without Christ and no person is or has ever been able to regardless of walk of life and prestige: “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9).

Simply put, we can choose what we believe in but we do not get to choose the consequences and while we can choose to believe in the Christian faith, we do not get to choose what parts are legit or illegitimate as we have been chosen by our Father: “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you” (John 15:16). As Christians, we must never forget that God’s word never changes and God, like His word, is the same today, tomorrow, and forever (Hebrews 13:8) so when we accept Christ, we must always continue to fight the good fight so we can inherit our eternal reward: “Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses” (1 Timothy 6:12).