Jesus' desire to be remembered--for his greatest work--His death on the Cross of Calvary!
Luke 22:15, "And He (Jesus) said unto them, 'With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer . . . '"(KJV).
As I have thought about what I would write this year about Memorial Day in the United States of America, I keep coming back to a statement of our blessed Lord which He gave to his twelve disciples in the Upper Room in Jerusalem. He had planned this event to the nth degree. When the time came to eat the passover meal He shared his great desire to eat it with His chosen disciples.
He said, "With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer."
Our Lord wanted to be remembered. His last desire was that we remember His death on the Cross of Calvary. It would be His greatest work for He, the Lamb of God, would die for the sins of the world.
The Apostle Paul says it best in his letter to the Corinthians as recorded in 1 Corinthians 11:23-26,
23 For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night He was betrayed, took bread, 24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, "This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me." 25 In the same way, after supper He took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me." 26 For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.
(NIV)
On Memorial Day, we honor all those who have fallen by remembering their noble sacrifice for freedom. We also pray for our troops currently serving on active duty, and in the guard and reserve, their families, and for the peace we all seek.
Unfortunately, traditional observance of Memorial day has diminished over the years. Many Americans nowadays have forgotten the meaning and traditions of Memorial Day.
At many cemeteries, the graves of the fallen are increasingly ignored, neglected. Most people no longer remember the proper flag etiquette for the day. While there are towns and cities that still hold Memorial Day parades, many have not held a parade in decades. Some people think the day is for honoring any and all dead, and not just those fallen in service to our country.
As we remember our troops here in the United States and around the world, let us remember our chaplains who have chosen to serve a noble cause among brave men and women who serve in the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, and Air Force. The International Pentecostal Holiness Church is blessed to have some of the most committed and dedicated men and women serving today as chaplains to these men and women who are in the uniforms of their respective military services.
In closing, let me quote from Admiral Mike Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff who values the ministry and role of military chaplains:
"We couldn't defend this nation without our Chaplains, Chaplain Assistant/Religious Program Specialists. The compassionate care you provide for our fighting men and women--and their families--remains vital to our combat readiness.
"You are the ear we want to bend, the helping hand we want to grasp, the broad shoulder upon which we want to lean. You serve us and our spiritual needs every bit as much as you serve the national security needs of this great country.
"Thank you for that service, and for the courage--physical and moral--you demonstrate every day at sea, on the ground and in the air. On behalf of all those with whom and for whom you tread in harm's way, I salute you.
"Mike Mullen
Admiral, United States Navy
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff"
Posted on
Mon, May 2, 2011
by Hugh Morgan