Building a Memorial to the Lord

Today is celebrated in the USA as “memorial day”   Some use this day to go out and to shop and get all the bargains they can, others see it as a day to catch up on their house work and get some rest, and then their or others for who this day is sacred as they remember those men and women who lost their lives fighting for their country. I do believe that there may still be some of us who will also use this day to remember our loved ones who have passed away but not necessarily as a result of war.  

 The word memorial as defined by the Unger’s bible dictionary means -that by which the memory of any person or thing is preserved.  In both the Old and the New Testament we find many occasions for memorials.  The feast of the Passover is a memorial of God sparing the firstborn of the Israelites while slaying the firstborn of the Egyptians (Exodus 12:14).  The heap of stones left in the bed of the Jordon was a memorial of the Israelites crossing it (Joshua 4:7).  The two engraved stones upon the shoulder pieces of the high priest’s ephod were memorial stones for the sons of Israel (Exodus 28:12).  Aaron would then bear their names before the LORD on his two shoulders as a memorial.  
A memorial was also seen as a record as stated in Exodus 17: 13-14 when Joshua defeated the Amalekite the LORD told Moses, write it as a memorial in a book, and rehearse [it] in the ears of Joshua: for I will utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.
This is also recorded in Malachi 3:16- Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard [it], and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name.  
The act of Mary in anointing the feet of Jesus was to be spoken of in “memory of her” – Mat 26:13  Verily I say unto you, Where so ever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, [there] shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her.

On this Memorial Day, I would like you to reflect on the things that God has done for you and your family, situations that He has delivered you and your family from and make a record of it.  You can choose to hang it on the wall in a special area of your home, or have it a special book.  Whatever method you choose, be sure that your children will be able to read it and remember what God did for you and them.  You may not build a memorial with stones, but you can dedicate a corner in your home as an area where you spend time before God.  An area where your children will look at and know that it is special, will know that is where my Mother spends time with God, a place which they will respect as being sacred.  Memorials are not just for those people and situations mentioned in the Bible, it is just as relevant for us today.  

In His Service,

Vilma