(This is a repeat post from seven years ago, but it bears repeating. Have a meaningful holiday!)
Memorial Day, originally Decoration Day
Decoration Day was celebrated first in the north and south following the Civil War. Today, as well as back then, this day of remembrance was to memorialize our war dead. It wasn’t until following World War I that May 30 became a common observance of the day–later becoming a national observance in 1971 by an act of Congress set for the last Thursday of May. Memorial Day has historically been a day of remembrance for those who gave their lives in defense of our country. A little known fact remembered from an Act of Congress in 2000 is the National Moment of Remembrance–a minute of silence at 3:00 pm local time to collectively remember those who died in the service of their country–to help put the “memorial” back in Memorial Day.
Veterans Day, originally Armistice Day
Veterans Day honors all American veterans, both living and dead, for their honorable and loyal service to America. It is celebrated on November 11 of each year. There was an unpopular 10-year period (1968-78) when it was moved to the fourth Monday of October, but was changed back to the original historic day. Armistice Day commemorated the end of World War I–“the war to end all wars”–on the eleventh day of the eleventh month at the eleventh hour of the morning when the armistice was signed. Of course, World War II shattered all hopes of the end of world-wide war.
The Christian world awaits the end of all war, but not through any act of man or nation or united nations, but through the return of Jesus Christ, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. The Scripture admonishes us and gives us hope:
Psalm 46:9 – He makes wars to cease to the end of the earth; He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two; He burns the chariots with fire.
Isaiah 2:4 – And He will judge between the nations, And will render decisions for many peoples; And they will hammer their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not lift up sword against nation, And never again will they learn war.
Micah 4:3 – And He will judge between many peoples And render decisions for mighty, distant nations. Then they will hammer their swords into plowshares And their spears into pruning hooks; Nation will not lift up sword against nation, And never again will they train for war.
Revelation 21:4 – And He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.
THE IRON PEN by Daniel Hite 