It’s been a tumultuous year for the world, to say the least. There are so many conflicts scattered across the globe that it’s hard to keep up, let alone fully understand the context and depth of each disagreement. The news is littered with a battering of jargon about whose side to take, yet as Christians, we are to seek peace. Caught in the literal crossfire are our brothers and sisters across the world, who take up arms in representation of their country. People are called to fight for what our leaders deem right. In America, we set aside an entire day to remember every single soldier who has raised their hand or volunteered to serve their country and fallen in the line of duty. It’s important to encourage the hearts of those who feel called to selflessly serve other people and remember those who have paid the ultimate price …ending their lives.
Here are 3 incredible truths and 3 powerful prayers in honor of Memorial Day.
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1. Grace Always Wins
“God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” - Ephesians 2:8-10
No matter how dark the world gets, grace always wins. Even in the shadow of death, Scripture reminds us that grace always wins. Fear loses. Death loses. Pain …loses. But when we lose a loved one who has been called up to serve, it sure feels like darkness is taking over. Sometimes, our biggest fears on this earth do come true, and our loved ones don’t return from the front lines. May God’s words to the Ephesians, through the Apostle Paul, comfort our hearts today as we pray:
A Prayer to Remember: Grace Always Wins
Father,
You save us by grace when we believe in Jesus. And we can’t take credit for it. It’s a gift from You. Our salvation isn’t a reward for the good things we have done. Thank You for reminding us so we don’t brag about them. We are Your masterpiece. You created us anew in Christ Jesus so we can do the good things. You planned for us long ago. As we remember those who have fallen in the fight, God, it’s hard not to be angry. Their good deeds seem to be repaid by an unfair death. Help us to understand what You are saying to us in this moment, God. Take our anger and replace it with peace. Comfort us as we remember those we have lost and help us to lift up any confusion we may not have answers to on this earth. No matter how much it seems darkness is winning, God, remind us that the victory already belongs to You, all of us who embrace Jesus as our Savior.
In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
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2. We Can Have Hope in a Broken World
“Enthusiasm without knowledge is no good; haste makes mistakes.” - Proverbs 19:2
War in the world breaks our hearts. It’s evil on display. It’s hard to imagine anything good coming from either side of a conflict when so many are affected in terribly tragic ways. The verse above from Proverbs reminds us how important knowledge is. Before we take to a cause, pick a side, or allow our emotions to run wild over media coverage, it’s important for us, as Christians, to run to the Lord. What does that mean?
God communicates with us primarily through His Word, the Bible. Prayerfully, He meets us in our emotional state with wisdom, peace, hope, and calm. There is no magical or miraculous way to set the world at peace. Prophecy tells us this. So, what do we do in the meantime? How do we know what causes we are supposed to stand up and shout about and which to submit to Your hands prayerfully?
The ESV Global Study Bible Notes explain Ephesians 2:8-10, “The perfect tense of ‘have been saved’ means that Christian’s salvation is fully secured.” No human effort can bring back those we have lost in the fight. But we can continue to live the lives God has given us to live out in this generation with knowledge, patience, and hope. Memorial Day is a time to remember those lost in the fight and hold onto hope for peace. Let’s aim to learn as much as we can from their lives and the bravery they displayed in the face of an unfair world full of unnecessary conflict.
A Prayer for Hope in a Broken World
Father,
It’s easy to encompass everything we see into a tragic scope of pain and hopelessness. Snap us out of the newsreel, God, and remind us of the hope we have in Jesus and the gift of salvation we embrace, no matter what we have done or not done on this earth. There is so much peace and clarity to be unlocked in this life, God. Memorial Day reminds us of how quickly our time on earth can be cut, way shorter than we plan! Help us to live each day to the fullest, embracing the unique purpose You have given us to pursue this side of heaven. Remind us that we can still have hope while living in this broken world! God, we lift up our grief to You over those we have lost in the past and the turmoil in our world and our country right now. You are bigger than all of it. From the watching world, it doesn’t seem that way. It seems darkness is winning. We have lost so many people in our country’s history fighting for freedom. Restore our hope, God.
In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
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3. We Can Rely on God
“Don’t make rash promises, and don’t be hasty in bringing matters before God. After all, God is in heaven, and you are here on earth. So let your words be few.” - Ecc 5:2
It’s easy to allow our words to spill into a puddle. Memorial Day can feel unfair to those who feel they sacrificed someone they loved for the sake of their country. What does the Bible say about having faith when life feels unfair? When we aren’t even sure we can get behind the beliefs of the country our loved ones died for? ESV Bible explains of Ephesians 2:8-10, “Faith is confident trust and reliance upon Christ Jesus.”
This Memorial Day, as we remember those who have paid the ultimate price for our freedom, let’s choose to embrace God’s truth. As Christians, we know this life is full of unfairness, sickness, war, pain, and injustice. Still, though we know these things with our minds, it’s difficult to align our hearts when emotions start to bubble to the surface.
The verse above cautions us not to be rash, hasty, or let our words spill out unchecked. Every life is important to God. He has a hand in each and every human life, knowing the number of hairs on each head at any given time. Whether we love Him back or not, His love is unmatched and unmoved by the circumstances of this world. As we honor those who have died while serving their country, we rely on God to right the countenance of our hearts and help us to see people the way He does.
A Prayer to Rely on God
Father,
Help us to see people the way You do. Those who have died while serving our country, and even ourselves, Father, help us have the right perspective when we look at life. Thank You for reminding us that each life is important to You. That You not only know all of us but grieve and rejoice alongside of us. Father, help us to connect with You on another level. Let this Memorial Day be one that allows us to see those who have died and those who remain in a different light. But You, God, give us true freedom as a free gift, regardless of what country we reside in on this earth or if our politics align with our government. Freedom in Christ never changes waivers or dims. Let us embrace Your gift of freedom today, as we remember those who died fighting to be free.
In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
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Originally published Friday, 24 May 2024.