Remember

Words to Ponder …Remember … Morrow Mirror … November 24, 2013

"This day shall be a day of remembrance for you" Exodus 12:14.

In 1986 Julie, Lauren, and I stood on the memorial built above the USS Arizona. It was a serene moment. Lauren had only just begun to walk, but this is part of our family story. As Christians part of our calling is to share our story: How Jesus has changed our lives, a story worth telling.  As human beings we are also called to remember and learn from our history. Julie shared a devotional that Mary Lou Carney wrote that brought back memories of that day long ago and touch her heart.

"I'd heard about Pearl Harbor all my life…in every US History class I took, and from my father and father-in-law, both of whom served in the navy. But when Gary and I visited Hawaii and took a trip to see Pearl Harbor for ourselves, I was amazed at the emotion I felt.

A gleaning white structure rested out in the bay, a memorial built over the sunken Arizona. We boarded a boat with other tourists and listened as the guide talked about December 7, 1941. 'The USS Arizona is the final resting place for many of the 1,177 crewmen who lost their lives. In the shrine room of the memorial, you will find the names of those killed.'

As we walked onto the memorial, I looked over the side. I could see the sunken ship! Its outline was visible in the clear water below us. I imagined the sailors that morning, roused from their sleep. Young, confused, frightened, brave. Did they have mothers, sweethearts, wives? I sensed someone standing next to me at the rail. I looked up to see a Japanese woman. For a moment I stiffened. What right did she have to be here? Then I realized what she was doing: dropping flower petals into the water. In that instant I knew that death-like bravery and love-knows no boundaries, that we are all enlarged by the noble and diminished by the tragic.

The water lapped quietly against the sides of the memorial, and when the lady looked my way, I smiled" (Mary Lou Carney, Reader Digest, Women's Devotional).

December began with a day to remember the tragedy of our own humanity. Lives lost because of conflicting ideologies.  We are a fallen people. However, as we journey through Advent toward the manger we are reminded that God has not given up on humanity. In the Christ Child, Immanuel we find hope and unconditional love.

When the struggles of the season weigh upon you, look around at God's creation, look in the eyes of your neighbor, and see the hope that Christ placed in each us and remember God's love.

In Christian Love, your pastor and friend in Christ, Dr. Ed Judy