This weekend is a holiday. The traditional three-day weekend which announces the beginning of summer. In particular, it is also Memorial Day weekend and it's very fitting that we pause for just a moment, especially with our nation at war, to remember our heroes. I suggest we try to remember them one life at a time.If you listen to any of the news reports this weekend, it's likely that you may be reminded of the literally thousands that have fallen in our nation's wars. At the same time, the numbers (while important) sometime discount the opportunity to understand that these are individuals who have given their all. Often for a cause that at the time was at misunderstood or maligned. Yet, these brave men and women served, took up the challenge and many died.
Freedom is won, one truth at a time and one life at a time. These wars have been fought because ultimately there are many things worth dying for. Typically fighting for people that were helpless, unable to fight and find victory for themselves.
Fighting for those who can't fight or help themselves is actually quite analogous to what Christ did for us on Calvary. Romans 5:6 says, "For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly."
Those of us that have come to understand the truth of this verse in Romans have come to understand that this victory that has been won for us is personal and individual. It comes from Christ, one life at a time.
This is Memorial Day weekend so let's remember each of these lives, one life at a time. There were thousands, and each one individually made a difference:
- The American Revolution had over 4,000. The Civil War which created so much of the history of my adopted state of Virginia had over 800,000 casualties on both the North and the South.
- World War I was the "Great War" to my grandparents generation. My grandfather was one that came back from the European theater. Over 116,000 did not. World War II followed closely thereafter and over 400,000 Americans lost their lives that we may have freedom.
- Korea and Vietnam were never very popular. Likely because 36,000 died in Korea and 58,000 in Vietnam; yet things (for us) remained relatively unchanged.
- Today, our men and women, our sons and daughters, are fighting what started as a US led coalition called "Enduring Freedom" in Afghanistan. The conflict continued with the US led coalition that took the fight to Iraq in March of 2003. That fight continues and over 3,400 have died.
Memorial Day: One life at a time. Our victory, One Life for all time.
