Memorial Day

"Memorial" is about remembrance. Paul wrote about forgetting what lies behind and reaching to what lies ahead - in particular, the upward call of God to fellowship in the truth and becoming like Jesus. But not everything in the past is behind, as the very same Paul pointed out in reminding us that in eating and drinking together we remember his death, which is certainly in the past but which is by no means behind us.

It's important to remember death, and in the right way, in the truth. It's really obscene to lie where death is concerned - even if it's lying by forgetting and averting our eyes.

I was reading in Second John today how clearly loving one another depends entirely on living in the truth. Love rejoices in the truth (1 Corinthians 13:6). As far as we have an argument with truth, we're not really going to love anybody. Indeed, Sentimentality = Love - Truth.

And sentimentality is cruel, just as it is written: "The tender mercies of the wicked are cruel."

So as Spock said to McCoy in the Star Trek movie: "Remember!"

http://www.squadron13.com/MikeHastieGallery/Farewell162nd.htm