Taking TimeTo Remember

I grew up on the south shores of Lake Ontario, where the winters were brutal, the spring-times were wet, summers were perfect and autumn always absolutely beautiful. I would still live there eight months of the year if it were possible, but you can keep those winters. Summertime holidays were a big deal during my youth with Memorial Day being the big kickoff of outdoor activity. There would be parades in every city and town around, taking time out to remember and honor those who served this country during the great wars, and especially honoring those who gave their life so others could remain free to pursue Godly happiness. It was also a weekend that started seasons for motorsports, Little League, and amateur baseball and softball leagues. Some family traditions took them to the lakeshore for a picnic cookout, boating and water skiing. My mother and her parents always found time to talk about the brother and son lost in WWII. They never had a grave to visit as he was lost overseas and never recovered for burial. It was a solemn and joyous weekend wrapped into one with remembrance and celebration being the order of the day. I fear with the reality of movies and the real-time minute-to-minute media coverage we receive today - war, battles and destruction have become a way of life for us, and our sensitivity toward the sacrifices, even unto death, that our service men and women are making for US, is waning into a big party by the beach. There’s nothing wrong with freely having fun, just remember who it is that has sustained that freedom for you while you’re complaining about the traffic.

[2 Peter 1:3-7] The apostle Paul tells us that in order to ensure not falling; a Christian must give diligence to add virtue to his or her faith. The word translated “virtue” in some Bible translations, means “goodness” or “moral excellence”. To be virtuous, good, morally excellent, doesn’t happen by accident. It is a quality that must be sought after with “all diligence”. In this respect, I feel we are taking a fall as citizens of both God’s kingdom and citizens of our great country. The world admires and even celebrates those who excel. In sports, excellence is recognized by various awards like Heisman, Golden Glove, Dick Butkus, MVP, Rookie of the Year, metals and trophies and so on. Employers recognize the excellence of their employees with bonuses, plaques and various awards. The world recognizes great accomplishments with Nobel or Pulitzer prizes. Those who achieve great things in these different arenas could testify to the dedication and hard work behind their accomplishments. To excel in morality or goodness also requires dedication, pursuit, hard work, made all the more difficult by so many evil influences and enemies, the minions of Satan. The path to virtue and moral goodness follows Jesus. In fact, 2 Peter 1:3 says that God calls us to that virtue; His virtue. Notice, to be good is to think good thoughts (Proverbs 23:17), to speak good words (James 3:9-10) and to do good things (Romans 13: 1-7). To be virtuous, morally excellent, is to think like the Lord; speak as would the Lord; and to do the things that the Lord would do. The Lord’s church celebrates a memorial the first day of every week in remembrance of our Lord and Savior. Even Paul had to rehearse this fact in his first letter to the Corinthians as they had forgotten what the Lord’s Supper was really all about (2 Corinthians 23-26). Our Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ, laid down his life for us (1 John 3:16) and saved us from our sins (Colossians 1:13-14). Remember.