Honor The Fallen

Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due, custom to whom custom, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor. Romans 13:7 (KJV)

A dear neighbor who served our Country in the military once told me that if we don’t remember the names of the fallen soldiers, they will soon be forgotten.

What a sad truth. These boys and girls, who bravely stepped up when their Country called them into service, paid the ultimate price for our freedoms. 

As they were going through their training, I’m sure they were faced with the reality of the dangers of war. They may have even thought perhaps they would be one of the unlucky ones. But it didn’t stop them from continuing. They swore their allegiance and faced the consequences with bravery and determination. 

These soon-to-be men and women of the military go through rigorous physical training. Most of them push their bodies to their limits, they mentally condition themselves to run towards danger and not away from it, and they are conditioned to face challenges that most will never know.

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Why Do We Celebrate Memorial Day?

Because Memorial Day is the last Monday of May, it has been deemed the 1st weekend of summer, but it was not created for that purpose.

Memorial Day is a solemn holiday created to honor the fallen soldiers, separating it from Armed Forces Day (the third Saturday in May) and Veteran’s Day (November 11). Armed Forces Day is for honoring the active military, and Veteran’s Day honors those who have served.

Memorial Day is the official day for our Country to collectively show respect and honor to those men and women who have given their lives for the freedoms we enjoy.

The Importance of Memorials in the Bible

Memorials help us remember great people and important events. God instructed the establishment of several memorials in the Old Testament.

Here are just a few:

• The Feast of Unleavened Bread -Exodus 13:3-6; 24:4
• 12 Stones in the Jordan River -Joshua 4:5-7; Deuteronomy 27:1-8
• Joshua set up a stone as a witness -Joshua 24:24-28
• Ebenezer the stone of help -1 Samuel 7:12

God wanted the Israelites to remember the miraculous things He did and pass those stories on to the next generations. And God’s people would set up memorials to remember God’s provision and protection.

In the New Testament, Jesus gave us a memorial–Communion. The Lord established this as a way for Christians to stop for a moment, consider the cost of what happened during Jesus’ sacrifice, and rejoice in the provision of eternal life offered to all people.

I have been in some churches that practice this memorial every week and others that practice the Lord’s Supper once or twice a year. Jesus instructed His disciple to do it often and to remember.

And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” And likewise, the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.” Luke 22:19-20

How Do We Honor Our Fallen Soldiers?

Honor is given by special attention towards and special respect to someone. God created humankind in His image, and we respect people for this reason alone. However, when we honor someone, we give them extra respect.

By giving honor to our fallen warriors, we acknowledge their heroism, commitment, and great sacrifice on our behalf.

Often we have parades or public events to honor people, but because Memorial Day is a solemn day, the fanfare never seems fitting. Our soldiers who have given their lives deserve to be remembered, and below I’ve listed some ways people remember these brave men and women.

Tell Their Story

If you know of someone who has lost their life serving our Country, you have a great opportunity to honor them. Remember them by telling someone else their story. Send their family a note or flowers letting them know that their spouse or child has not been forgotten.

Visit a Cemetery

Go to a cemetery, walk among the graves, and find those honored for their service to our Country. On Memorial Day, their graves are marked with an American flag. Bring flowers with you and lay them on the graves. Pause a moment and give them respect.

Attend a Memorial Day Service

Most towns and some churches hold memorial services for the fallen heroes. Make an appearance at one of these ceremonies and listen to other people’s stories.

Display an American Flag

If possible, display the American flag on your front porch, set up a flag pole, or hang it on the side of your house. Remember, flag etiquette says you should take a flag down before dark if there is no light shining on it. And if you hang your flag without a pole, like on the side of your house, the blue background should be in the top left-hand corner of the view of everyone passing by.

Pray for America

We who stay home can honor the efforts of these brave men and women by praying for our Country. We may not be physically involved in keeping America free, but we fight a great battle in the spiritual world through our prayers. Pray for America, pray for our Nation’s leaders, and pray for our military’s continued service and protection.

Talk About Our Nation’s Heroes

Every third grader can tell you the history of Pokemon, Harry Potter, or Spiderman, but do they know the real-life heroes that have served in our military? Take time in the day to consider the price it costs to keep America free. Discuss it with your kids and make them aware of the true meaning behind Memorial Day.

National Moment of Remembrance

In 1997, the National Moment of Remembrance was created to recognize the fallen heroes of our Nation’s military. At 3:00 PM on Memorial Day, people are compelled to hold a minute of silence to reflect on the sacrifice of these heroic warriors.

What to Say to Honor Fallen Soldiers?

Although it may not be appropriate to wish someone a “happy” Memorial Day, we do want to say something, don’t we? As I considered this dilemma, I thought maybe we could offer a gentle phrase to encourage others to remember the gravity of Memorial Day instead of a greeting.

May the sacrifice offered by some be remembered by all.

God bless the USA!

In Loving Memory

The following links list the fallen heroes from each of the wars listed. Please click on them and read through some of the names. I do it on Memorial Day; I should do it more often. But when I do, I find my heart stirred as I think about these men and women who loved life just as much as you and I do. They wanted to grow old, have a family, and enjoy the freedoms that they fought so hard to keep. Each name represents a person; a son, a husband, a wife, a daughter, a sister, a brother, a mother, or a father. Take a moment to pray for their families that have been left behind to grow old without them.

• War in Afghanistan 
• Operation Enduring Freedom
• Operation Iraqi Freedom
• Operation New Dawn 
• Vietnam Veterans Memorial
• Korean War Veterans

Do you know anyone that has paid the ultimate price for our freedom? Please share their name and something you remember about them in the comment section below so we can honor them here.

A Prayer for the Fallen Soldier

Father, how great and glorious are Your blessings towards us. You deserve all our honor and praise. And we give it willingly, knowing that our praise towards You can never match Your grace towards us. 

As Christians, we thank You for giving us a Country built on the principles laid out in Your Word. We are thankful for the men and women of the military who are willing to serve in the armed forces as a layer of protection for our Nation. 

Our hearts break when we consider the price some people have paid so that the rest of us can live in peace.

We pray for their families: their parents, spouses, siblings, and others who are permanently scarred by the passing of their loved ones. Bless these families; give them the strength to continue living without those they lost. Shower them with Your mercy and allow them to find joy even through these circumstances. 

Lead them to Your salvation that Your name will be praised. In the name of Jesus, we ask all things. Amen

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