For many Americans I believe the holiday of Memorial Day has become just another day that we do not have to work. For many it is the start of summer, a time for family cookouts, special events and possibly concerts. The luster of the real meaning and significance of Memorial has been lost by many because of the hoopla that comes with having fun and enjoying each other’s company.
Please do not get me wrong because all the above is good for our society and brings people together. I guess my thinking is have you ever thought about why you have this privilege. Memorial Day or as it was originally known, Decoration Day, is a day of remembrance for those who have died in service of the United States of America. The day has been designated a federal holiday for all the men and women who have given the ultimate sacrifice so our country can be and remain to be the land of the free.
Memorial means something which serves as a reminder. Scripture witnesses to God’s participation in human history for the salvation of God’s people. God’s covenant name Yahweh was to be a “memorial name.” Exodus 3:15 tells us, “Moreover God said to Moses, ‘Thus you shall say to the children of Israel: ‘The Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you. This is My name forever, and this is My memorial to all generations.”
