Memorial Day, the last Monday in May, is
a time when respect is paid to the more than one million men and women who have
given their lives for our country. It
reminds us that America is the home of the free because of what the brave have
done.
May
is also the month of Decoration Day when the graves of loved ones all over the
country are adorned with flowers and other signs of remembrance. This is a time for remembering not only our
service men and women but other loved ones who have died as well.
In one of the catalogs I have received,
there is a plaque that says, “When a loved one becomes a memory, that memory
becomes a treasure." In many
instances that is true, but in other situations the memory might be a burden
because we have regrets concerning our relationship with that person. Perhaps we were not as attentive as we wish
we had been. We may have spoken hurtful
words in anger. We could have been
estranged from that person and never have sought a reconciliation. If we have regrets concerning someone because
of things we did, or failed to do, the memory of that relationship may be a
burden rather than a blessing.
We can never go back and change the past,
of course, but we can apply what we have learned in the present so we do not
repeat our past mistakes. The lesson in
this case is to live in such a way that we will have no regrets when anyone in
our lives passes on. It may cost us
time, energy, forgiveness, and forbearance, but our memories will be
sweet. We will have the peace and
satisfaction of knowing that we did the best we could in the relationships we
had.
In one sense, everyday should be a
memorial day, a day in which we remember all that God, our Creator, and Christ,
our Savior, have done for us. We are free
from the power and punishment of sin because of the cross. And if we have regrets from the past, and we
have missed our chance to ask certain people to forgive us, we can always find
God's forgiveness. He will cleanse our
lives and wipe the slate clean, giving us a fresh, new start. That is a promise we should never forget!
Father,
may I live in such a way that I will have no regrets about any relationship in
my life. May I find forgiveness in You
for all my failures and shortcomings.
Thank You for Your promise that, if we confess, You will forgive us and
give us a brand new beginning. Amen.
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