Today I’m taking an insider look at Memorial Day. I did not grow up with a clear idea of how to celebrate on Memorial day. I generally knew it was a day to remember people in our lives who have died, but I did not know that the main focus is to celebrate men and women who died in war.
A Sacred Beginning
Originally, Memorial Day was established as a day of remembrance to honor soldiers who died during the US Civil War . Today many people think of the holiday as the onset of summer, celebrating with barbecues and going to the beach.
When the Civil War ended in 1865, Americans faced a loss of 620,000 people due to the conflict. Waterloo, New York began having an annual and organized remembrance day in May 1866. On that day businesses closed and military graves were decorated with flags and flowers.
Major General John Logan, head of an organization of Union veterans, called for a national celebration to honor fallen Civil War soldiers. Future president James Garfield presided over the first “Decoration Day” on May 30, 1868 at Arlington National Cemetery.
The actual Memorial Day Holiday we know today started in 1968, when Congress passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Act to make it an official federal holiday, using the last Monday in May (yay for three day weekends!).
With fewer and fewer people associated directly with war deaths, the significance of the holiday may have waned, marking it as celebration for the onset of summer. I t s never appropriate to portray Memorial Day as a joyous day. However, it is a day when we can celebrate and remember soldier/comrades who have given their lives. There is joy in knowing the world has been blessed with fine men and women, who died to make the world better.
Inside look
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God in the Foxhole: Inspiring True Stories of Miracles on the Battlefield – eBook By Charles W. Sasser / Pocket Books |
The Bible was written long before Memorial Day was ever formalized. The Old Testament speaks of battles, many of which were pretty gruesome. At the beginning of 2 Samuel (1:11-12), David is told about the death of Saul and his sons. Even though Saul was an adversary, David still held him in high regard, and mourned his loss. Regardless of what we think about war, battles are represented by individuals, with families. Any human loss is painful and each individual should be remembered.
Sadness and Mourning
Our grief can act as a way to show love for our neighbor, and thus demonstrate our love for God.3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort
The most vital outcome for grief is to have our hearts focused on Jesus Christ. Knowing him and knowing His promises will sustain us during these dark days.
2 Corinthians 4:15 says All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.
