Memorial\nDay, also called Decoration Day, is a day set aside (the last Monday of May) to\nremember those killed in the line of duty in our nation\u2019s wars. It is a vivid\nreminder that freedom is not free. It is won and preserved with the blood of\nbrave patriots. A memorial is\u201csomething designed to preserve the memory\nof a person or event such as a monument or a holiday.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
We need memorials because we tend to be forgetful. Memory problems are universal. You know what they say about life\u2014\u201cBy the time our face clears up, our mind gets fuzzy.\u201d A bumper sticker reads, \u201cAt my age, I\u2019ve seen it all, heard it all, and done it all, I just can\u2019t remember it all.\u201d Ever since I bought a memory foam pillow, I started having bouts of amnesia. Humans are forgetful so we need constant reminders such as holidays, anniversaries, and memorials to bring back into focus important events of our past. There are some things that are just too important to forget! Cornelius\nwasa Roman centurion who had genuine faith in the God of Israel. He is\ndescribed as a devout man who feared God with all his family, a generous giver,\nand a man of prayer. His faith was not passive; it was active faith which\nresulted in good works. We are not saved by good works but we are saved in\norder to do good works. An angel appeared to him and said, \u201cYour prayers and\nyour alms have come up for a memorial<\/strong> before God\u201d<\/em> (Ac. 10:4). You\nmay not feel like you have much to offer God but, if it\u2019s done with the right motive,\nHe notices and it will be rewarded. \u201cFor God is not unjust to forget yourwork and labor of lovewhich you have shown toward His name in that\nyou have ministered to the saints, and do minister\u201d<\/em> (Heb. 6:10). <\/p>\n\n\n\n We have many national memorials for famous people and historic events. Years ago, my wife and I stayed at a motel adjacent to the Gettysburg battlefield. I recall a profound sense of awe and wonder as we toured the cemetery reading the various memorials. I thought, \u201cHistory happened here! Abraham Lincoln stood here and gave his famous speech millions of students still memorize 150 plus years later.\u201d Here\u2019s a quote, \u201cThe world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here.\u201d <\/em>Friend, the world may not notice all the things you do for God, but the God who knows how many hairs are on your head takes notice and every act of faith, worship, and obedience is making a spiritual memorial. People may forget your labor of love, but God won\u2019t! So, take the time to make spiritual memorials.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Memorial Day, also called Decoration Day, is a day set aside (the last Monday of May) to remember those killed in the line of duty in our nation\u2019s wars. It is a vivid reminder that freedom is not free. It is won and preserved with the blood of brave patriots. A memorial is\u201csomething designed to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":694,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-692","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goodspringsfgc.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/692","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goodspringsfgc.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goodspringsfgc.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goodspringsfgc.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goodspringsfgc.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=692"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.goodspringsfgc.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/692\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":695,"href":"https:\/\/www.goodspringsfgc.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/692\/revisions\/695"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goodspringsfgc.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/694"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goodspringsfgc.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=692"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goodspringsfgc.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=692"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goodspringsfgc.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=692"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
Remember God\u2019s Name: <\/strong>The first use of the word \u201cmemorial\u201d in Scripture is in connection with God\u2019s name. God revealed Himself to Moses at the burning bush\u2014\u201cAnd God said to Moses, \u2018I AM WHO I AM . . . The Lord God of your fathers . . . This is My name forever, and this is My memorial<\/strong> to all generations\u2019\u201d<\/em> <\/strong>(Ex. 3:13-15, NKJV). God has over 250 names and titles revealed in the Bible, because He is too great to be described by just one. Why does God have so many names? Why does a house have so many windows? To let in more light. Each name of God sheds more light on His nature and character like a multi-faceted diamond. God wants us to remember and honor His name. <\/strong>\u201cSome trust in chariots, and some in horses; but we will remember the name of the Lord our God<\/strong>\u201d<\/em> (Ps. 20:7). There is supernatural power in His name to save, heal, deliver, and redeem.
Remember God\u2019s works: <\/strong>\u201cSo this day shall be to you a memorial<\/strong>; and you shall keep it as a feast to the Lord throughout your generations\u201d<\/em> (Ex. 12:14). God instituted various feasts in the Old Testament as annual reminders of what He had done for His chosen people Israel. Passover commemorates how God delivered Israel from over 400 years of slavery in Egypt. It designated a new beginning\u2014their past was slavery; their future was freedom. The Feast of Pentecost commemorates the giving of the Law at Mount Sinai. Now, we also observe Pentecost Sunday to celebrate the impartation of the Holy Spirit to the church. The Feast of Tabernacles commemorates how God sustained the Israelites through the wilderness. The Feast of Purim commemorates how God intervened and spared the Jews from genocide in Persia in Queen Esther\u2019s time. \u201cBless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not <\/strong>all His benefits\u201d<\/em> (Ps. 103:2).
Remember the source of our blessings: <\/strong>God instructed Joshua to take twelve stones out of the Jordan riverbed and erect a monument with them\u2014\u201cAnd these stones shall be for a memorial <\/strong>to the children of Israel forever\u201d <\/em>(Josh. 4:7). God knew their descendants would be curious and ask about the significance of these stones. So, God basically said, \u201cTell them how I provided for you in the wilderness, rolled back the waters of the Jordan River, and defeated numerous tribes of the Canaanites. The reason you are here enjoying this blessed, Promised Land is because of the direct intervention of your God!\u201d The main reason we are living a safe, happy, healthy, fortunate life today is because of the mighty God we serve. It\u2019s not luck, coincidence, good fortune, happenstance, skill, intelligence, talent, education, or money; it\u2019s the blessing and favor of Almighty God! As Ronald Reagan said, \u201cIf we ever forget we are \u2018One Nation Under God,\u2019 then we will be a nation gone under.\u201d
God remembers every sincere act of worship: <\/strong>Remember Mary\u2019s extreme expression of gratitude for Jesus raising her brother, Lazarus, from the dead? The expensive ointment in her alabaster box was equivalent to a year\u2019s wages. It was probably the most valuable thing Mary owned, an heirloom she was saving for her wedding day. Yet She poured it out as an extravagant offering of worship on Jesus. The disciples were outraged at such a waste, but Mary knew He was worth every penny. Jesus was so moved by her generosity, He rebuked His disciples and said, \u201cAssuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial<\/strong> to her\u201d<\/em> (Mt. 26:13). Her sincere act of worship will be remembered until the end of time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n