This is in remembrance of those who have perished for our safety and freedom and God bless their families.

Remembering on Memorial Day

Americans and much of the rest of the world should be thankful for those men and women who we are remembering and honoring on this day. It is a time for reflection and recollection of those men and women and their deeds of bravery and sacrifice.

Our Constitution and Bill of Rights were written in their blood. Each and every letter, phrase, and sentence was invisible endorsed and signed by them. Each freedom was hard won, paid for by long periods of pain, deprivation, suffering, and loneliness of being separated from homes and families. Many braved the cold ice, and snow with the agony of frozen fingers and toes. Others endured the sweltering heat and humidity dealing with rotting flesh, insects, and snakes.

They all had to face the looming threat that they might not return home or return home injured and disfigured. It was not a “one time” emotion, but a long, drawn out, grinding on their souls. They all faced the bullets, bombs, and mines and the possibility that even their bodies might not be found to be sent home.

Through the many years, they have fought to defeat tyranny, piracy, and terrorism and to keep it at bay. It is because of them that we can live in relative peace, have the freedoms of speech, bearing arms, and the freedom of religion.

I’ve seen a quote saying, “There are no Atheists in a foxhole.” I understand that soldiers are praying for safety and comfort, praying for fortitude and bravery, and praying as an outlet for their fear and grief. All are praying for a glimmer of hope and relief from the untenable position in which they find themselves. They come face to face with eternity and face to face with their own mortality.

The scenes of war are horrible, devastatingly horrible. These scenes of death and destruction stay in the mind forever. Scenes of man’s brutal nature will ever torture the soldiers’ and sailors’ souls.

The true tragedy unfolds as we read of the pain and suffering that these men endured. They bravely fought through the war daily facing the unknown future. Some of these men faced Hell only to find at their death, they will live in Hell for an eternity; where there is no comfort, no relief from the pain and fear, where there is no glimmer of hope, only despair.

Those who have never claimed the saving grace of a merciful God and accepted the gift he offered over two thousand years ago and still offers today. Christ was born of a virgin and came into the world to bear our punishment and our sins to the cross. He took upon Himself to bear our suffering and a load of sin that we could not bear. Christ is the only way to escape the fires and horror of Hell. Good works will never be good enough. Only by claiming and accepting this free gift of salvation through His Son Jesus Christ.