Praise the Lord
for this new day. I trust you all had a great Memorial Day celebration yesterday
here in " America the Beautiful". Jessie and Tom came for the weekend, and
Laureen came for whole weekend. Janice, Jeremy, Micah, Simeon, and Ada went away
for a camping vacation in central Massachusetts. We were also able to talk to
Sunita in Albania via Skype. She and Andy are being blessed by the Lord in
Albania as they serve Him there.
The Lord gave us
very hot, humid, and brilliant day. It broke the record heat for the day
yesterdat. The reading was 92 degrees as I drove to town in the later afternoon.
We had a BBQ cook out yesterday. Some family members, along with some friends.
joined us for a great time of food and fellowship.
Praise the Lord for
the Memorial Day celebration. I watched some of the World War 2 footage last
evening. I was deeply moved at great sacrifice and bravery of so many who gave
their lives for the sake of freedom for the defeat of tyranny and oppression.
The Bible is full of
memorials. The words remember, remembrance, and memorial are found more than 230
times within the Bible. God instructed his children in the Old Testament to
remember that they were once slaves in Egypt. He commanded them to observe the
Passover, as well as other holy days, as a “day of remembrance.” In the New
Testament Jesus said that every time we approach the His Table we are to do it
in remembrance of Him.
This, and every Memorial Day, is important to us as Americans and as Christians. As Americans, Memorial Day is an opportunity to remember those brave soldiers who sacrificed their lives defending our country. Jesus once said, “There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (John 15:13 NLT).
As Americans, we can rejoice in the freedom that we have in this country.
One of the most prominent symbols of freedom in the United States is the Liberty Bell, which hangs today in the historic district of Philadelphia. It has been called an icon of liberty and justice. Its most famous ringing was on July 8, 1776, when the sound of the Liberty Bell rang out from the tower of Independence Hall summoning citizens to hear the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence by Colonel John Nixon. In that historic moment the Liberty Bell fulfilled the purpose designated by its inscription: “Proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof.” That inscription, of course, is taken from Leviticus 25:10.
The purpose of the bell flows out of God’s Word . God has the same purpose for our lives today—to proclaim liberty that is only available through Jesus Christ throughout the world. No matter where we live in this world—whether we are American, African, Australian, or Asian—Paul reminds us we have a common need for the free gift that God gives in Jesus Christ. Paul wrote, “God makes people right with himself through their faith in Jesus Christ. This is true for all who believe in Christ, because all people are the same: Everyone has sinned and fallen short of God’s glorious standard, and all need to be made right with God by his grace, which is a free gift. They need to be made free from sin through Jesus Christ” (Romans 3:22-24 NCV). As we remember those who fought and died for the cause of freedom, this is the message that Christians everywhere need to ring out this Memorial Day and every day.
At the outbreak of the Revolutionary War, the American statesman Patrick Henry uttered the famous phrase, “Give me liberty, or give me death.” It became a slogan for the revolution. Liberty or death were the only options. As Christians we take our freedom seriously but also joyously, so we celebrate Memorial Day not only as day to remember those who gave their lives to give America her freedom, but as day to remember, rejoice and ring out the message of Jesus Christ, who gave His life to guarantee our eternal freedom. This freedom in Christ calls us to celebrate it, to share and to live it out each day. It is for freedom that Christ has set us free!
This, and every Memorial Day, is important to us as Americans and as Christians. As Americans, Memorial Day is an opportunity to remember those brave soldiers who sacrificed their lives defending our country. Jesus once said, “There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (John 15:13 NLT).
As Americans, we can rejoice in the freedom that we have in this country.
One of the most prominent symbols of freedom in the United States is the Liberty Bell, which hangs today in the historic district of Philadelphia. It has been called an icon of liberty and justice. Its most famous ringing was on July 8, 1776, when the sound of the Liberty Bell rang out from the tower of Independence Hall summoning citizens to hear the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence by Colonel John Nixon. In that historic moment the Liberty Bell fulfilled the purpose designated by its inscription: “Proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof.” That inscription, of course, is taken from Leviticus 25:10.
The purpose of the bell flows out of God’s Word . God has the same purpose for our lives today—to proclaim liberty that is only available through Jesus Christ throughout the world. No matter where we live in this world—whether we are American, African, Australian, or Asian—Paul reminds us we have a common need for the free gift that God gives in Jesus Christ. Paul wrote, “God makes people right with himself through their faith in Jesus Christ. This is true for all who believe in Christ, because all people are the same: Everyone has sinned and fallen short of God’s glorious standard, and all need to be made right with God by his grace, which is a free gift. They need to be made free from sin through Jesus Christ” (Romans 3:22-24 NCV). As we remember those who fought and died for the cause of freedom, this is the message that Christians everywhere need to ring out this Memorial Day and every day.
At the outbreak of the Revolutionary War, the American statesman Patrick Henry uttered the famous phrase, “Give me liberty, or give me death.” It became a slogan for the revolution. Liberty or death were the only options. As Christians we take our freedom seriously but also joyously, so we celebrate Memorial Day not only as day to remember those who gave their lives to give America her freedom, but as day to remember, rejoice and ring out the message of Jesus Christ, who gave His life to guarantee our eternal freedom. This freedom in Christ calls us to celebrate it, to share and to live it out each day. It is for freedom that Christ has set us free!
In
Christ,
Brown
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