Christian Memorial Day?
I had the privilege of speaking at the Kannapolis Memorial Day event this past Monday. We honored WWII veterans and all those who have died in defense of the United States. As I was thinking about what to write today, it got me thinking about why we don't hoor those who died in defense of the Christian faith like that. What about honoring people like Davy and Natalie Lloyd or Justin Martyr or Jim Elliott?
I read "Foxe's Book of Martyrs" as a teenager. Reading the stories of those who died in defense of the Christian faith really inspired me. Reading about the lives of those who literally gave up eveything both puts things in perspective and moves me to action. We are every bit as much at war as those who died in WWII. In fact, our war has much higher stakes and eternal consequences.
As Christianity progressed and the possibility of actually dying for your faith became less likely, a somewhat famous sermon was preached in the 7th century that described three types of martyrdom. Red was for those who spilled blood, White was for those who gave up everything in life to serve God, and Green was for those who were persecuted for following Jesus but didn't die. I mention this because we are very unlikely to die for our faith, but there are ways of "dying" that are more than physical.
So, as an act of worship, consider the lives of those who have gone before us who died for their faith. Consider how you are "giving up your life" for your faith. Let's all live lives worthy of those who have gone before!
SONGS FOR SUNDAY