Memorial Day is a federal holiday to both celebrate and honor the men and women who died while defending the rights of freedom for humanity (not just Americans) globally. In other words, the Federal government believed it a worthy holiday to remember our military personnel.
Why is it that high-ranking government officials do not even acknowledge the service and sacrifices these men and women (as well as their families) have made?
I have answers to this question, but that is not the focus of this blog.
However, drawing close to God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit is the focus, and to that end the reason this holiday is so significant.
But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! II Timothy 3 NKJV
In the last days, people will focus on themselves rather than on things that are righteous. Sadly, the news today is filled with stories of such people—prominent people, political leaders, and influential people. The importance of a national holiday is to pause and reflect on the thing the holiday is honoring. Yet, leaders, today are boasting about any number of things without even a mention of why the holiday is important.
This is why this is important. “In the last days,” implies the nearing of the end of something. The Bible makes it clear that the end of time as humanity has known it, and the culmination of God the Father’s plan will be completed.
A close personal relationship with the godhead is necessary in order to be attuned to where humanity is in regard to this “last days”. A close personal relationship enables the Christ-follower to both be prepared as well as warn others of the approaching events. Jesus talks about them in the New Testament book of Matthew. He says deception will be rampant, wars, famines, and earthquakes will be abundant. Jesus continues by saying that friends and family will hate and betray each other and that Christ-followers will be turned over to authorities as criminals. Hatred will abound and love will grow icy cold.
As scary as these things might be, they are signposts of greater things to come. The Christ-follower—the ones who stay true and do not fall prey to such deception—will stand firm, stand tall seeing the hand of God in his or her life. Their manner of living, loving, and letting go of all such evils will become a shining light in the prevailing darkness.
This will only happen to those who “know” him, who has a close personal relationship with him—the godhead. Jesus offers a story in another place in the New Testament books of the gospel, saying that many will come to him proclaiming the things they have done for him, only to have him say, “I never knew you.”
The reason this Memorial Day is so important, it because it is revealing those who are caught up in the selfish, self-serving time humanity has entered. The heart of the Father is revealed in the life of the Son and is expressed in the promise of the Holy Spirit. This expression will be found in the Christ-follower yearning to have a close personal relationship with God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.