We Must Remember

We Must Remember

Over one hundred years ago a group of people gathered together on a Memorial Day to dedicate a new cemetery. Abraham Lincoln, our sixteenth president, stood before them as a war weary and worldly wise man. That day he spoke words that have found their place into history. I refer to some of those words that Abraham Lincoln spoke at Gettysburg.

"The world will little note, nor long remember, what we say here; but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced."

As you know, Mr. Lincoln was referring to the gallant men who fought in the battle of Gettysburg during the American Civil war. Yet these words are proper and fitting to be used referring to other battle fields that today’s younger generations find only in history books: names like the Marne, Normandy, Iwo Jima, Khe Sanh, Tikrit, and many others.

It has been tradition that we memorialize our war dead and that we also commit ourselves to the causes for which they fought and gave their lives. That is only fit and proper. But, I am convinced that it is also proper that we remember those who have been laid to rest in the hallowed ground in cemeteries all over this country -- loved ones who perhaps never carried or saw a weapon nor served in the armed forces. Among those are ones we have called wife, husband, mother, father, son, daughter, brother, sister, friend, and loved one. These are people we have grown up with and have shared many moments with. Therefore, let us gather to remember times past, and affirm to the future our devotion, respects, and love to these who have gone on before us.

I think back on the words spoken by Abraham Lincoln, when he said, "..the world can never forget what they did here." Each of our lives have been fed, nurtured, and guided to what it is today by the lives that gone before us. It is said that when the first gas lights were brought to the crime-ridden suburbs of Chicago in the Twenties, the crime rate was cut by one thousand percent. One little boy, seeing an old lamplighter hobbling from pole to pole in the darkness, asked his father what the old man was doing. "Ah ,son," he replied, "He is just punching holes in the darkness." The loved ones that we remember are not forgotten. Neither have they been lost in history. Rather each one of them, in their own special way, has punched holes in the darkness and the resulting light still shines and guides us, even today.

To many in this world, it may appear strange that we gather in cemeteries on Memorial Day for a time of fellowship. There are some people who have a difficult time with anything remotely associated with death. It is quite obvious that a parcel of land devoted to burying the dead is certainly associated with death. For some of us, to stand there can only bring grief, doubt, and confusion. As for me, the strength of my faith is symbolized when I stand by the gravesite.

Two thousand years ago a mother and two friends stood weeping outside of a tomb, in a little cemetery. With memories still very fresh in their minds, they grieved for the one who was lain there. To compound their grief they were to discover the body of that loved one was missing. The tomb was empty. You realize of course that I refer to the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, our Lord. This is significant because Jesus chose His ground of victory to be a tomb. The cemeteries of this land represents to me, not a place of defeat where death has conquered life and stolen precious loved ones, but rather it represents a battlefield of victory. It is my prayer that you too will realize that this place does not represent defeat; rather death represents the confirmation of victory and our hope of eternity.

We have all had occasion to stand at gravesites with bereaved families, who have lost loved ones. We have attempted to offer words of comfort and assurance. We have always felt that our words are only feeble attempts. Without a doubt we may be assured of one thing. We can know that we have found a pathway through the valley; and many of our loved ones have walked that pathway, to show us the way. They have trusted that eternal future to the true Light, Jesus Christ.

The story goes that a man was told that he had only six months to live. He drove to the crest of a hill overlooking the city. Out there alone with God he looked eastward toward the mountains and said, "You have been here many years, guarding this valley. Generations have come and gone and you have seen them all. Someday you will be no more; but when you are gone I will still be living." He looked at the stars, millions of them were twinkling in the sky. He said to them, "You have been for eons. God put you there. You may shine on for ages to come; but when you are no more, I will still be living." He then went out to the river and said, "Oh mighty river, for centuries you have coursed your way down toward the sea. But some day you will be gone and I will still be living." He then went home with the peace of God in his heart. He had won the victory and had no more fear of the future. Yes, thank God, we can have hope and a way through the valley when we come to the end of the way.

May God bless you and keep you.