A
Memorial to a Moment
Memorial
Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the last Monday of
May. Formerly known as Decoration Day, it commemorates U.S. soldiers
who died during military service. First enacted to honor Union
soldiers of the Civil War, it was extended after World War I to honor
Americans who had died serving in all our wars. Memorial Day often
marks the start of the summer vacation season.
Sadly,
for many that's as far as it goes.
Begun
as a ritual of remembrance and reconciliation after the War between
the States, by the early 20th century, Memorial Day had become an
occasion for more general expressions of memory, as ordinary citizens
visited the graves of their deceased relatives, whether they had
served in the military or not. It also became a long weekend
increasingly devoted to shopping, family get-togethers, fireworks,
trips to the beach, and national media events such as the
Indianapolis 500, held since 1911 on Memorial Day.
As
we approach this occasion, I'd like to offer yet another memorial for
you to consider, that being what I refer to as a Memorial to the
Moment. I believe all of our dearly departed fighting men and women
would agree with this message.
In
the 4th Chapter
of Joshua, we find a terrific example of a Memorial to a Moment and
what it means. It says: "...when all the nation had finished
crossing the Jordan, the LORD spoke to Joshua, saying, "Take for
yourselves twelve men from the people, one man from each tribe, and
command them: 'Take up for yourselves twelve stones from out of the
middle of the Jordan, from the place where the priests' feet are
standing firm, and carry them over with you, and lay them down in the
lodging place where you will lodge tonight.'" So Joshua called
the twelve men whom he had appointed from the sons of Israel and said
to them, "Cross again to the ark of the LORD your God into the
middle of the Jordan, and each of you take up a stone on his
shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of
Israel... And he said... "When your children ask their fathers
in time to come, 'What are these stones?' you shall inform your
children, saying, 'Israel crossed this Jordan on dry ground.' "For
the LORD your God dried up the waters of the Jordan until you had
crossed, just as the LORD your God had done to the Red Sea, which He
dried up before us until we had crossed; that all the peoples of the
earth may know that the hand of the LORD is mighty, so that you may
fear the LORD your God forever."
Webster's
New World Dictionary defines the word "memorial" as
something that serves to help people remember some person or event. A
memorial can be a structure of some sort, like a monument, a statue,
a pile of stones, or it can also be a holiday like Memorial Day.
When
it came to my own walk of faith, nothing has meant as much to my own
personal victory and power as when I truly forgave everyone who had
ever hurt me. Years ago, a cassette tape on the subject of
"Forgiveness" was making the rounds in our congregation.
People quickly passed it along, no one feeling as if they actually
needed it. Eventually, it wound up with me. Reluctantly, I listened.
At one point, I prayed and asked the Holy Spirit to reveal to me
anyone who had ever hurt me in any way, even if they weren't aware of
the pain they'd caused me. I began writing down the names and the
offenses I'd experienced. Grand total: Over 300 names requiring my
prayerful and sincere forgiveness.
So,
I began the act of forgiveness. In some cases, I prayed a heartfelt
prayer, releasing my offenders and their descendants from any guilt
or blame, and I blessed them. In other cases, I wrote letters,
telling people I had forgiven them, with some VERY interesting
results. In a few cases, I spoke with my offenders face-to-face and
had meaningful, at times, tearful, moments of reconciliation.
Among
those offenses requiring my forgiveness were a few "biggies";
those offenses which caused me the greatest measure of pain. What
those offenses were is hardly as important as what I felt lead to DO
about them; I built a Memorial to the Moment.
In
one case, I wrote the terrible offense on a piece of paper and burned
it.
For
several others, I wrote the offense on paper and buried them.
Where
a third tormenting offense was concerned, I was so thrilled at the
release I felt by offering up prayers of blessing and forgiveness, I
simply ran to the commode and flushed the offense on paper without
giving the matter a second thought.
Our
adversary, the devil, who had kept me in bondage for decades, who had
been bringing those sinful offenses to the forefrint of my thoughts
for decades, occasionally tries to open those old wounds, but to no
avail. Every time he comes against my mind with one of those old
offenses, all I have to do is remember the Memorial to the Moment,
then I remind HIM of the day I built that Memorial and the work that
was accomplished when I did so. When he reminds me of my past, I
remind him of his future. His power over me is gone; the curse,
broken. All because God has given me the grace, and a powerful
exercise, to forgive those who knew not what they were doing, or had
done, to me.
Frankly,
I don't believe there's a departed soldier in any of our memories who
has experienced the unspeakable joy of seeing and living with King
Jesus who wouldn't encourage their mortal descendants – yourself
perhaps - to engage in this forgiveness process and stop dragging any
non-productive, burdensome offenses around like a ball and chain.
"Life is too short," they might say. "Love and forgive
those people who hurt you. It's simply not worth it to carry grudges
and seek vengeance against those who probably had no idea how their
offense would impact your life."
These
days, I'm very quick to forgive. On occasion, because He knows how
much I want my slate to remain clean, the Holy Spirit will lovingly
tap me and say, "Michael, what about so-and-so... don't you want
to forgive them as well?"
And
I do so. Quickly.
Ask
the Lord to reveal to YOU anyone who has sinned against you. You
might even write those names down, as I did. Pray a prayer of sincere
blessing and forgiveness over each one. In some cases, you may want
to build your OWN Memorial to the Moment. Maybe on Memorial Day.
That can be YOUR day, the day when you broke away from any offensive
bondage that may have held you captive for years.
I
believe an Army of Deceased soldiers – all of them more alive now
than they ever were - would join as one in saluting you, followed by
a chorus of celebratory victory shouts, as if a major battle had been
won and an enemy had been defeated!
The
truth is, an enemy HAS been defeated and a victory HAS been won.
Let's
honor our fallen loved ones this, beginning now, this Memorial Day,
by living the life of an overcomer, a life lived for the cause of
Christ, unhindered by the pain of the past.
Every
blessing,
Michael
Tummillo
Founder,
The Church @ Work (TCAW)
Lord,
we thank you for the grace we need in order to receive healing for
the loss of our beloved Warriors and the grace required in order to
forgive those who – whether they realized it or not – have
offended us in the past. May THIS Memorial Day be one of personal
victory, a day where many will remember the offenses of the past no
more. It's in Jesus' Name - Lord of the Past, Present and Future -
that we pray. Amen!
