I love the concept of Memorial Day. I love the fact that people stop to pay attention to those that gave their lives to serve us and those that came before us. However, I don’t think many people take the time to actually remember the sacrifice of others. I don’t think many actually take the time to remember because deep down we are all really calloused hearted people. I think cultivating a thankful/grateful heart is a foreign concept.
We are trained to be reflective and grateful people. CNN is great at centering us on the present. They report the breaking news that is geared to disturb, interrupt, and dominate your thoughts for the day. Advertisers cultivate a discontent by creating needs for us that will be fulfilled when we buy their product. Movies and television overwrite our own stories, so when we do gather we end up talking about fictional lives, not our own lives. Ok, I am not down on the media, but if I am not careful, I can let the media dominate my thought life to the point where it squeezes every once of reflectivity out (if that’s a word).
This Memorial Day, I wonder if you would join me in not only reflecting on those that gave their lives for this country that we live in, but also those that gave their lives to pass on the faith to us. Reading Paul’s very personal words at the end of his letter to the Colossian church, has made me grateful for his life given for the sake of the gospel. Somehow his encouragement worked, because his words and life has been passed down to me.
I look forward to this weekend as good excuse to cultivate a grateful heart. Join me by reflecting on the God of Abraham, Isaac, & Jacob…
No comments:
Post a Comment