“So this day shall be to you a memorial; and you shall keep it as a feast to the LORD throughout your generations. You shall keep it as a feast by an everlasting ordinance.”
Exodus 12:14 (NKJV)
Boalsburg, PA is said to be the place where Memorial Day got started.
There, three young women – Emma Hunter, Sophie Keller and Elizabeth Myers – began the custom of decorating soldier’s graves in 1864, while the Civil War was still being fought. They wanted to recognize the contributions of villagers who had paid the ultimate price and they did it with what was at hand: some home-grown flowers.
1 John 3:16 says:
“By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.” (NKJV)
To offer up your life so that someone else can live is a pretty amazing thing.
I am always reminded in my soul that the willingness to give up one’s life is not dependent on the worthiness of the people that would benefit from the honorable act.
Romans 5:8 says:
“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (NKJV)
We are blessed to be living in a free society.
May we honor our American soldiers for the liberty we have in this country. May we also give thanks to Almighty God for the freedom we have to spend eternity with Him because of His gift of forgiveness through the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Teach us, Lord, that the best way to pay an unpayable debt is to show with our lives that we didn’t forget!
The Good Shepherd Ministries 