Joshua 4:4-7 – “So Joshua called together the twelve men he had chosen—one from each of the tribes of Israel. ⁵ He told them, “Go into the middle of the Jordan, in front of the Ark of the Lord your God. Each of you must pick up one stone and carry it out on your shoulder—twelve stones in all, one for each of the twelve tribes of Israel. ⁶ We will use these stones to build a memorial. In the future your children will ask you, ‘What do these stones mean?’ ⁷ Then you can tell them, ‘They remind us that the Jordan River stopped flowing when the Ark of the Lord’s Covenant went across.’ These stones will stand as a memorial among the people of Israel forever.”

Each year on Memorial Day, I think of those memorialized and remembered.  In the life of a believer, we also have Memorial Days or Days of Remembrance in which we reflect on what God has done in our lives.

I suggest that you read Joshua 4:4-7 (memorial stones), 1 Corinthians 11:23-26 (The Lord’s Supper), and Revelation 2:5 (God).   If you let those resonate in your heart, you will have a deeper understanding of Memorialization, the what, and the why.

Traditionally, Memorial Day is focused on honoring those who gave their lives fighting for Freedom.  Remembering and honoring them is a worthy endeavor, one I wholly endorse.   I am a Vietnam Veteran, having served in Vietnam in 1967, and I have a deep appreciation and respect for my fellow veterans of all ages, past and present.   We owe them a debt of gratitude we could never repay.

We cannot restore their lives. We cannot relieve the pain their families endured and are enduring.  We cannot roll back time and find a way to avoid the conflict that necessitated their service and ultimate sacrifice.  We cannot, but we can REMEMBER THEM!

We can express and demonstrate Gratitude for what they did and what we have as a result of their selfless sacrifice.  As an American and a Veteran, I become incensed when I see or hear anyone disrespecting the American flag or our service personnel.  As a Christian, I try to have restraint; otherwise, I would physically confront those acting so ignorantly and disrespectfully.  War is Horrific and, as some have said, Hell.  It leaves scars that can never be healed outside the Love of God.  Were it not for the Grace of God, I shudder to think of where I would be today, BUT GOD transformed me, and for that, I am eternally grateful.

Hold these thoughts in your mind:

The Price of Freedom is Very High.

Forgetting To Remember is Incredibly Dangerous.

Forgetting Results in Thanklessness.

Remembering Keeps Judgment At Bay.

As we remember the fallen and what they fought for, we should allow the Holy Spirit to draw us into God’s Presence.  The world needs us to be fully surrendered to Jesus. God desires for us to stand in the Gap and Intercede for the Lost.

Our Spiritual Responsibility is to be fully committed to God and to sound the alarm.  Our moral responsibility is to submit fully to God and be an example for the world.  Our Responsibility Socially is to come out from among them and provide an example of an alternative to the evil of this world.

What Would Jesus Do?  Let’s strive to do that!  As we reflect on our personal Memorial Stones, let’s make today a day of remembrance, gratitude, and prayer, and celebrate our spiritual victory in Jesus!

Pile up memorial stones and never forget what has been purchased for us at the Cross!