Memorial Day!

Today is marked on our calendar here in the United States of America as “Memorial Day.” This day -- which falls on the last Monday of May each year -- was set aside as a public holiday to commemorate soldiers who died in war. By their personal sacrifice, freedom was secured for the citizens of this nation and for people in other parts of the world. For some, however, the day is merely focused on as a day off from work to enjoy time with family and friends.

In Exodus we read of another “memorial day.”
“THIS DAY SHALL BE FOR YOU A MEMORIAL DAY, and you shall keep it as a feast to the Lord; throughout your generations, as a statute forever, you shall keep it as a feast.” ( Exodus 12:14 ESV)

This was the first Passover focus, a designation that would be placed on the Jewish calendar as an annual REMEMBRANCE of the nation’s DELIVERANCE FROM BONDAGE in Egypt. Under the leadership of Moses, God led the nation of Israel out of slavery and toward a land He would give them. However, it was a focus not always kept (note 2 Kings 23:22) as faithfulness to God would from time to time go by the wayside.

We have another REMEMBRANCE today that the early church kept on the first day of the week. (i.e. Acts 20:7) It is a REMEMBRANCE our Lord Himself established. Paul recounted that establishment in his first letter to the church at Corinth.

We read…
“(23) For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, (24) and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, ‘This is my body which is for you. DO THIS IN REMEMBRANCE OF ME.’ (25) In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. DO THIS, as often as you drink it, IN REMEMBRANCE OF ME.’ (26) For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.” ( I Corinthians 11:23-26 ESV)

The establishment of this REMEMBRANCE overshadowed the Passover memorial as Jesus had given Himself as our “Passover lamb”. ( 1 Corinthians 5:7) Is it forgotten? Is it only focused on once a year? Is that REMEMBRANCE only made when partaken of on Sundays. Or is the personal sacrifice of our Lord for our DELIVERANCE FROM THE BONDAGE OF SIN remembered every day of our life? According to Paul, this REMEMBRANCE is to be kept in mind while we remember another day that is coming. May we continually retain the REMEMBRANCE of our Lord’s personal sacrifice on our behalf as we live lives prepared for His glorious return and our deliverance into that eternal promised land.

Have a great day DAILY REMEMBERING CHRIST’S PERSONAL SACRIFICE FOR US!
Carl

See other teEn-MAIL on Memorials