The Meaning of Memorial Day

Dallas Baptist University is located in southeast Dallas very near the Dallas National Cemetery. When the Dallas Baptist baseball team has an evening game, the game stops at 7:00 PM; every player, umpire, and spectator stand silently as Taps is played at the neighboring Dallas National Cemetery. Over 60,000 veterans and family members are buried in that cemetery including my father-in-law and mother-in-law. My father-in-law served in the Army Air Corps in the Pacific Theater during WWII.

While many men and women have served in our various military branches, Memorial Day is designated to recognize those men and women who have given their lives during their time of service. From the beginning of WWI to our latest wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, 619,500 men and women in our military have been killed. These are the ones that we remember on Memorial Day.

Like many of you, I can name friends of mine that are included in those numbers. The ones that I can list were all killed while serving during our fighting in Viet Nam. They were friends and acquaintances from high school and college. One was a fellow Eagle Scout who encouraged me to complete my Eagle. Another was the son of a lady in the first church that I pastored. A third was one of the young men against whom I played baseball. My guess is you have your own list of those you remember who gave their lives during times of war.

In John 15:13, the Bible records the words of Jesus:

"Greater love has no one than this, that someone

lay down his life for his friends."

Jesus, not only spoke of this kind of love, he also demonstrated it for our benefit through His death, burial, and resurrection.

"God showed His love for us in that while we were

still sinners, Christ died for us."

Romans 5:8

Jesus' death and resurrection for us was to offer us forgiveness for sin and to promise us eternal life with Him as we believe and trust in Him as our Lord and Savior.

The death of those in the military wasn't for the purpose of offering us eternal life as the death of Jesus was. Rather, they died to defend freedom for our nation and for the people of many other nations. By their heroic efforts and actions, we have the freedom to live, raise a family, and to hear the eternal message of Jesus. Physical freedom bought at the price of many who have served in our military has opened the door for us to both believe and to share the message of God's love through Jesus of eternal freedom.

Memorial Day is not a religious holiday. It is a national holiday. As we remember our fallen soldiers on this Memorial Day and the price they paid for freedom, we cannot help but also give thanks for Jesus whose death gave us the opportunity to receive eternal freedom.

Memorial Day is more than cookouts, picnics, and baseball. It is a time to remember the price paid by so many that gives us the freedom to choose how we will celebrate this Memorial Day.