Memorial Day Devotional

Our Monday Devotion comes to us from Council Member, Ray:

"Comfort, comfort my people, says your God." Isaiah 40:1

On May 12, 2011, I visited the Vietnam Memorial Wall ceremony held in Dana Point. If you have never seen this moving tribute to the men & women who served our country in Vietnam, and died doing it, it is one of the most stirring tributes I have ever seen. From the singing, the talks, and the ceremonial portions of the event, to the Wall itself, was enlightening and highly emotional.

Dennis Wells, Commander, VFW, CA, gave a talk that showed his heart with a simple true story of a group of vets, years later, who were talking about burying their pet dogs. One after the other, they talked with the reverence that only a man (ladies, that may be a prejudice of mine) can have for a favored dog, and how this one was buried near some flowers so he could always enjoy them, and another was buried on top of the hill, so that he could always feel the wind and smell the air; with each story this commander said he would shed a tear and crack open another beer! Finally a man said that he had buried his dog in his heart, where he could “whistle him up” when he felt lonely, and feel the comfort of his company, and get support and unconditional love. That was a 2-beer story for him, and he moistened my eyes in the telling. The idea of “whistling him up” is one that has a spiritual application! Don’t we all have a favored scripture, or a weathered Bible that we can randomly crack open, to find comfort, wisdom, companionship with our Lord and Savior? Just whistle it up!

Then, after the formalities of the day, I went over to the wall, which is a wide (I think I read it is 240’) and about 4’ tall, in scores of columns which contain names. The number of names varies with the height of the wall, which is narrow on both ends and highest in the middle. I went to the far right, thinking that I would be in the Z’s. And here is where I lost it altogether: the columns are separated by chronological date of death! These were the names of all who had died on that specific day! These were real names of real people, mostly young, strong men & women, America’s best, who died for Ray (and you) so that he could be standing in Dana Point on a gorgeous sunny day, in shorts & tank-top, privileged to have the freedom to do so. And the wall only stretched for a period of several months in 1968… I was grief-stricken to have been the recipient of such grace, and of course, to recognize that God the Father sent His Son to grace me with eternal fellowship with the living God, was beyond humbling –as this is the ultimate freedom.

Ladies and gentlemen, please never forget these young men & women who paid the ultimate price of freedom – for us – so that we could enjoy days like today, raise families, do productive work, worship, etc. It was a vivid reminder that freedom is not free. The next time someone whines about this country and its wars, you have my permission to suggest that they move to a country of their choice; they’re free to do so. We are called to love everyone, but these are the toughest for me! God, grant me the patience and tolerance to deal with these morons, and give me the strength and wisdom to “earn it”, as Sergeant Ryan said in the movie. Finally, if this memorial is not coming to your city this year, please come visit it in Dana Point. You won’t ever regret it. Father, loving God, I pray that you protect our troops today and in the future. In the powerful name of your Son, Jesus Christ, I pray this. These men & women all have names, too, that You know!

Ray Beeman

Tweet