¹ God is our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble.
² Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change,
though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea;
³ though its waters roar and foam,
though the mountains tremble with its tumult.

¹⁰ “Be still, and know that I am God!
I am exalted among the nations,
I am exalted in the earth.”
¹¹ The Lord of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our refuge. (Psalm 46:1-2, 10-11)

Dear brothers & sisters in Christ,

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and Jesus Christ the Lord and Savior. Amen.

Each year we set aside a day of civic mourning – Memorial Day. We remember the loss of lives given during service to the United States Armed Services. We thank God for strengthening and calling them to lay down their lives in defense of our own.

Sparked by the high casualties of the American Civil War, a day set aside to remember the lives lost was initiated by both sides (albeit differing days & names) following the war. The purpose was to honor, remember, and grieve those many lost lives. Especially due to the domestic nature of the war, many families had lacked the closure (or even timely notice) at their loved one’s time of death. The tradition grew and it evolved into a communal memorial for the nation.

With each passing war, the national cemeteries expanded. Each generation added its own grief, hopes, and traditions to what we now know as ‘Memorial Day’ alongside the graves of its compatriots. Poppies were a contribution of the First World War, courtesy of the poem ‘In Flanders Field’ by Canadian soldier John McCrae. In the aftermath of World War Two, Truman signed a proclamation in 1950 (ironically during the Cold War and just shy of the onset of the Korean War) proclaiming Memorial Day’ a day of ‘prayer for permanent peace.’ During the Conflict in Vietnam, finally the official law was enacted making Memorial Day a Federal holiday. In 2000, between the two Gulf Wars, a ‘Moment of National Remembrance’ at 3PM local time.

We continue the traditions of our ancestors as we continue to honor the many lives sacrificed in service. We decorate the graves of servicemen and women who are no longer going about their daily lives here on earth. We offer comfort to those families who never had a ‘welcome home’ celebration for their loved ones. We come together as citizens to honor all those who have lost their lives defending our civil liberties. Most of all, we rest assured in the conviction that God did ‘welcome’ them home. We give praise to God for being their ‘refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble’ – just as He is for us. “The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge.” (Psalm 46:11)

The grace and peace of God which surpasses all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

In Christ,

Pastor Carla