Memorial Day

Monday, May 30, 2011 is Memorial / Decoration Day in our land.  A day to remember those who gave their lives for our freedoms.   First held in 1905 to remember both Union and Confederates that gave their lives during the Civil Way of the 1860's.    From then till now, wreaths have been laid and prayers of thanksgiving in remembrance of our fallen soldiers at Arlington Cemetery each year in Washington D.C. as well as at locations all around the Nation.

I am so grateful for these men and women who fought for what they believed, or at least agreed with for the most part. 

I was thinking last night about Gods' Word stating there is a time war and a time for peace.  I remembered in His Word the numbers of times people gave their lives to defend their families and properties from invaders as well as the battles in conquering the promised land after entering it.  I remembered that when Israel obeyed the Lord victory was much easier - many times with no casualties at all.  Then other times when not in the Lord's timing or having disobeyed Him, defeat was harsh.   I have seen from the Word of God that in war, there is to be victory and the spoils go to the victor.   The ultimate victory was won by Christ for us and we (the spoils) are eligible to become a part of His victory.

Then, I was thinking of the victories that will be mentioned at many events on Monday.  Events from the two great world wars where many gave their lives, but victory came because of them, and freedoms were won for many Nations including our own.   I remember reading of or listening to recordings of some of the "end of the war" speeches and signings.   We had won the war!   Celebrations were held in many places in spite of so many losing their lives, but the victory being won was at least some compensation for the losses suffered.

Then, in the 1950's our Government didn't want to call the event in Korea a "war", and instead called it a conflict.  Since then, it appears to me that the wars our Nation has been involved in have all been political in nature with very little emphasis on victory!   In lieu of gaining the spoils of the wars / conflicts, we turn around and rebuild the Nations we were attempting to defeat.   So, not only have we lost lives of brave men and women, but now we pay exceedingly high amounts to rebuild, and often in that process U.S. citizens lose their lives. 

Now, it seems that even if so called enemy lives are lost, our soldiers face arrest or prosecution of some type.  This is not right!   "If" we are at war, we should fight to win.    I understand that in many areas sports events involving young people have no scores so no one is labeled a winner or a loser.  Some schools no longer grade so as not to appear as if someone has excelled or not.

This is not God's way.  Christ will return one day with a vesture on which is written "King of kings, and Lord of lord's".   He will defeat the enemies of Himself with a "word" which will cause blood to run as deep as a horses bridle in the valley of Megido according to Scripture.  The clear victory He won in the spirit world will be made manifest in this natural world!   Christ made a triumphant show of the enemies of God and declared victory by saying He had the keys of hell and death.  A result of that victory allowed Him to declare that "all authority in Heaven and on earth had been granted unto Him". He was victorious at the Cross of Calvary.  He won the battle against death by shedding His own blood and presenting it at the Altar of the Most High.   In Him and through Him, we are more than conquers!

So, for this Memorial Day, I want to say to the Lord and to whosoever can receive it - I repent of the mess we have made in our Nation by shedding so much innocent blood without fighting for a complete and total victory.  We have left the ungodly in charge after we have declared we were fighting for the cause of freedom.  I am sorry for those who fought and lost their friends on the battle field and came home without any real sense of victory,  nor were welcomed as the heroes they were / are.  I'm sorry Lord that we have given lives for the political or monetary gain of a few and robbed our warriors of the dignity of victory in so many cases.    Thank You for washing us and our land by the Blood of our Redeemer.

Now Lord, through that precious Blood, I release life and peace to all who have lost loved ones fighting for our Nation in any manner.   I declare Your grace is sufficient for all who mourn, and that You O Lord, will give them Your joy in place of mourning.  We, as a Nation and as individuals are remembering them this weekend.  We desire to stand as one Nation under You O Lord, making sure there is real liberty and real justice for all.  We recognize that according to Your Word, because Truth (Your Word) has fallen in the streets, righteousness stands afar off and justice is held back.   No longer will we shrink back, but rather, by the surpassing greatness of Your power working within us, we will arise and allow Your Light to shine out of our lives. As in the book of Acts, we ask for boldness to speak Your Word O Lord, so that signs and wonders can be done by the hand of the Holy One - Christ Jesus.

Thank You once again Lord for those who have gone before us and giving their lives for our Nation. Bless their families who have struggled, but pressed on without them.  We remember them and give honor to them today in Jesus name. May Your grace be experienced at every event in which men and women who gave their lives are being remembered this weekend.