–Chuck Holton
“Then the Lord said to Cain, ‘Where is Abel your brother?’ And he said, ‘I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?'”
–Genesis 4:9 (NASB)
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ALL GAVE SOME
SOME GAVE ALL!
This coming Monday is a day we celebrate Memorial Day. Yes, I used the term “celebrate,” though some think that is improper, because we can celebrate our freedom because of the sacrifice of those who have gone on before. Memorial Day is a day to remember those who sacrificed for our liberty, some giving the ultimate sacrifice–their life. Is it all right to remember veterans on Memorial Day? Yes. Is it all right to remember those currently serving in the military? Yes. But the day was set aside as a memorial for those who gave their all.
I had two in my family who gave their all. A cousin, whom I never met, obviously, who died on the shores of Normandy during the invasion of D-Day, and my Uncle who died in Vietnam in 1966. I want to share some verses that were written to me by a friend (C.J. Landry) who served in Vietnam as a Marine.
“We do not want you to be uniformed, brothers, about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond the ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. Indeed, in our hearts, we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.”
–2 Corinthians 1:8-9 (NIV)
We should not, must not be ignorant of their sacrifices. That’s why it is so disheartening to see what is happening to our military today, to our country in general. Students whining about debt repayment and are holding socialism and fascism in high esteem are doubtlessly clueless as to the sacrifice that went before them. Men, like my cousin, who stormed the beaches to die, to give their life blood to stop the tyrannical rule of Hitler. Korea, Vietnam, and other places where the flow of communism was stopped. (Did it work? How many communist countries are there today? Five, if you count Cuba and Venezuela, seven).
Those who sacrificed, soldiers/warriors, were the “men of the in-between” This person “with mind and heart committed to righteous principle, he offers himself to shield others.” (Stu Weber). This is a Biblical principle. Think of David, of Gideon, Ehud, and other Judges. Men who faced evil knowing the possibility of the consequences, but doing it anyway. And let me notify you–victory comes at a price! There are several places in Scripture where God said to erect a memorial, not to worship, but to remember. Remember those who sacrificed. Remember the day this took place. Remember from whence you came. Several times God said to Moses and Joshua to make a memorial or this shall be a memorial.
Then my mind goes to those I read about in Hebrews–heroes of the faith. Memorial Day is to remember the fallen, but how about the fallen men and women of the faith? Their names are not mentioned, but in heaven’s halls they are listed. “Some men were tortured, not accepting release, so that they might gain a better resurrection, and others experienced mockings and scourgings, as well as bonds and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawed in two, they died by the sword, they wandered about in sheepskins, in goatskins, destitute, afflicted, and mistreated. The world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts, mountains, caves, and holes in the ground.” (Hebrews 11:35-38, HCSB) Not only these, but those who lived on proclaiming Christ from after the time of the apostles unto this day.
Yes, celebrate Memorial Day — but do not forget! Remember, remember, remember…
ALL GAVE SOME
SOME GAVE ALL!
This coming Monday is a day we celebrate Memorial Day. Yes, I used the term “celebrate,” though some think that is improper, because we can celebrate our freedom because of the sacrifice of those who have gone on before. Memorial Day is a day to remember those who sacrificed for our liberty, some giving the ultimate sacrifice–their life. Is it all right to remember veterans on Memorial Day? Yes. Is it all right to remember those currently serving in the military? Yes. But the day was set aside as a memorial for those who gave their all.
I had two in my family who gave their all. A cousin, whom I never met, obviously, who died on the shores of Normandy during the invasion of D-Day, and my Uncle who died in Vietnam in 1966. I want to share some verses that were written to me by a friend (C.J. Landry) who served in Vietnam as a Marine.
“We do not want you to be uniformed, brothers, about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond the ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. Indeed, in our hearts, we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.”
–2 Corinthians 1:8-9 (NIV)
We should not, must not be ignorant of their sacrifices. That’s why it is so disheartening to see what is happening to our military today, to our country in general. Students whining about debt repayment and are holding socialism and fascism in high esteem are doubtlessly clueless as to the sacrifice that went before them. Men, like my cousin, who stormed the beaches to die, to give their life blood to stop the tyrannical rule of Hitler. Korea, Vietnam, and other places where the flow of communism was stopped. (Did it work? How many communist countries are there today? Five, if you count Cuba and Venezuela, seven).
Those who sacrificed, soldiers/warriors, were the “men of the in-between” This person “with mind and heart committed to righteous principle, he offers himself to shield others.” (Stu Weber). This is a Biblical principle. Think of David, of Gideon, Ehud, and other Judges. Men who faced evil knowing the possibility of the consequences, but doing it anyway. And let me notify you–victory comes at a price! There are several places in Scripture where God said to erect a memorial, not to worship, but to remember. Remember those who sacrificed. Remember the day this took place. Remember from whence you came. Several times God said to Moses and Joshua to make a memorial or this shall be a memorial.
Then my mind goes to those I read about in Hebrews–heroes of the faith. Memorial Day is to remember the fallen, but how about the fallen men and women of the faith? Their names are not mentioned, but in heaven’s halls they are listed. “Some men were tortured, not accepting release, so that they might gain a better resurrection, and others experienced mockings and scourgings, as well as bonds and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawed in two, they died by the sword, they wandered about in sheepskins, in goatskins, destitute, afflicted, and mistreated. The world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts, mountains, caves, and holes in the ground.” (Hebrews 11:35-38, HCSB) Not only these, but those who lived on proclaiming Christ from after the time of the apostles unto this day.
Yes, celebrate Memorial Day — but do not forget! Remember, remember, remember…