At the root of all spiritual directives lies a single line of scripture. It was a warning from Moses to God’s called-out people: Deu 8:11 “Beware that thou forget not the LORD thy God.” The prophets came to declare the judgments of God because they had “forgotten the Law of thy God.” In more modern times the adage is offered that history tends to repeat itself when we fail to remember. In all, it seems that memory can keep us from a repetitive life, even destruction. We must Remember the Lord our God.
To remember is also the greatest part of honor. To forget is akin to dismiss what once was. Our lives are all fleeting, which makes it even more important to recall and rehearse the sacrifices made for our freedom. When we speak of those who have passed from this life and talk of their attributes, we are honoring them. We must remember the fallen and the saints which have gone before.
Finally, there is a value in keeping a keen memory of both tragedy and triumph. On this day, 21 years ago, the world changed forever. An unsuspecting enemy attacked the homeland. Our casual life came to an end as 2,977 souls died. Even more were affected by the remaining debris. The numbers can hardly be told.
Today, we remember souls lost; fractured families, and those whose lives changed forever. Just as we remember the law of the Lord and the saints, we also pause to consider our nation and the innocent lives which were taken. Our prayer is that the window to reach our nation will remain open long enough to spread the Gospel before these memories fade.
Pastor Jeffrey Harpole