A holiday for many. I’m working on odds and ends at the Church office today but for some it’s a day off. However you spend your day today, remember the reason for today. Many have given their lives for the freedoms we enjoy as Americans — and many continue to give their lives so that we and others can continue to enjoy freedom.

On Memorial Day I always remember a poem I learned in the fifth grade — John McCrae’s In Flanders Fields.

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie,
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

You can read the story of the poem here.

As we remember those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice, and especially this year those who continue to fight for freedom, I offer this prayer

Dear Heavenly Father,

As we remember those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom, we think of how they have followed in the footsteps of your son, our Savior, Jesus Christ. Please hold our service men and women in your strong arms. Cover them with your sheltering grace and presence as they stand in the gap for our protection.

We also remember the families of our troops, and ask for your unique blessings to fill their homes and your peace, provision and strength to fill their lives.

May the members of our armed forces be filled with courage to face each day and may they trust in the Lord’s mighty power to accomplish each task. Let our military brothers and sisters feel our love and support.

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

On Friday of Holy Week — Good Friday — Jesus was crucified for our sins (Matthew 27:1-66, Mark 15:1-47, Luke 23:1-56, John 19:1-42.)

Take some time today to reflect on what Christ did for you.
Take time today to thank God for the salvation you have through Christ.

As a prayer for Good Friday, I offer the following — A
Responsive Prayer On Christ’s Passion — from The Book Of Common Worship of the Presbyterian Church, USA

Our Redeemer suffered death,
Was buried and rose again for our sake.
With love let us adore him, aware of our needs.

Christ our teacher,
for us you were obedient, even unto death:

Teach us to obey God’s will in all things.

Christ our life,
by dying on the cross
you destroyed the power of evil and death:

Enable us to die with you, and rise with you in glory.
Christ our strength, you were despised,
And humiliated as a common criminal:

Teach us the humility by which you saved the world.

Christ our salvation,
you gave your life out of love for us:

Help us to love one another.

Christ our savior,
on the cross you embraced all time
with your outstretched arms:

Gather all the scattered children of God into your realm

Jesus, Lamb of God,

have mercy on us.

Jesus, bearer of our sins,

have mercy on us.

Jesus, redeemer of the world,

grant us peace.

Jesus prayed that He would not have to die on the cross — and yet at the end He accepted God’s will. (Matthew 26:31-46, Mark 14:32-42, Luke 22:39-46).

If you have ever seen the movie “The Passion Of The Christ“, you will remember the first scenes at Gethsemane and the Devil trying to persuade Jesus to abandon God’s plan — but Jesus resisting. It’s a very powerful rendition of this powerful event.

Jesus accepted and followed God’s will for Him — even though it meant suffering and death.

O God — Strengthen me when I am tempted to abandon Your will for my life, so that I may follow You. Amen.

Thursday of Holy Week is the day Jesus instituted the Sacrament of Communion

As He gathered with His disciples the night before His crucifixion, Jesus took the bread and the cup from the Jewish Seder Meal they were celebrating and gave the bread and cup new meaning (Matthew 26:26-30, Mark 14:22-26, Luke 22:14-20).

This is my body — broken for you
This is my blood — shed for you

It does not matter how many times I say these words or celebrate the Sacrament — these words still give me goose bumps.

Lord — Help me to always remember what You have done for me — and always reach out to others with Your love. Amen.

One thing that occurred Thursday of Holy Week — also known as Holy Thursday or Maundy Thursday.

It was on this day that Jesus gave the disciples the “new commandment” — to love one another (John 13:34). (The Latin word for “commandment” is mandatum — thus the English word “maundy”).

Jesus gave this new commandment while washing the disciples feet (John 13:1-17, John 13:31-38). This action of washing the feet of the disciples shows the humility and servant nature of Christ — an attitude that does not come naturally for me, and that I need strength to work on.

I will post about several other events that occurred on Thursday, but for now think about your attitude of service and commitment to Christ.

Lord — on this day when you showed Your humility and attitude of service, strengthen me so I may serve You and others better, and be better obedient to Your mandate to love one another. Amen.

One event that may have occurred on Wednesday of Holy Week is the discussion of whether to pay taxes to the emperor or not (Matthew 22:15-22, Mark 12:13-17, Luke 20:20-26).

The religious leaders were wanting to trap Jesus — trying to see if they could catch Him saying something that would either offend the Romans or that would make the Jews mad. His response showed a great truth that cuts to the heart of where our allegiance lies.

“Give to the emperor the things that are the emperor’s,
and to God the things that are God’s.”

In other words, give to the earthly powers that things that are theirs — but to God the things that are His.

What things belong to an earthly power?
Our allegiance — our love — taxes — what we owe for the things we are provided.

What things belong to God?
Well — everything!
Our ultimate love — allegiance — what we owe God for what He has provided us.

Lord — Help me to give to my country what is it’s due — but to give to You my ultimate devotion and love. Amen.

Holy Week is the most important week in the Christian year as the services help us reflect the events that took place when Jesus was betrayed, crucified, and rose again.

I’ll post more about the services and events of Holy Week as we move through the week, but for now, try to find ways to focus on what Christ has done for you — and how you can live the life of service Christ calls us to live.

‘Heavenly Father, we come before you today to ask your forgiveness and to seek your direction and guidance. We know Your Word says, ‘Woe to those who call evil good,’ but that is exactly what we have done. We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and reversed our values. We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery. We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare. We have killed our unborn and called it choice. We have shot abortionists and called it justifiable. We have neglected to discipline our children and called it building self esteem. We have abused power and called it politics. We have coveted our neighbor’ s possessions and called it ambition. We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it freedom of expression. We have ridiculed the time-honored values of our forefathers and called it enlightenment. Search us, Oh God, and know our hearts today; cleanse us from every sin and Set us free. Amen!’

Amen!

The idea behind Veterans Day is to have a day when we can think about the sacrifices paid by the many people who have served in the Armed Forces.

For Veteran’s Day, I offer up a prayer from the tradition of the Presbyterian Church for those serving — and I add have served — in the military:

Righteous God, you rule the nations.

Guard brave men and women

who risk themselves in battle for their country.

Give them compassion for enemies

who also fight for patriotic causes.

Keep our sons and daughters from hate that hardens,

or from scorekeeping with human lives.

Though they must be at war,

let them live for peace, Amen.

as eager for agreement as for victory.

Encourage them as they encourage one another,

and never let hard duty separate them

from loyalty to your Son, our Lord, Jesus Christ, in whose name we pray, Amen.

Here’s how he describes it:

Saturday night, opening night at one of tracks I work for. Weather is good, excitement is high. Everyone is in a good mood and happy to be back racing.

Hot laps, heat races, and the first 2 features go off without a problem. Final feature of the night. Lap 13. A car’s throttle sticks wide open as he is going down the back straight. Before he can hit the kill switch he is cresting the turn 3 banking and is airborne. Over the guardrail and hard into the pit catch fence, squarely impacting one of the steel fence posts, bending it almost in half while ripping it and 3 feet of concrete out of the ground.

About 50 crew members were lined up along the pit fence, watching the progress of their various cars. 2 team mates are leaning against a fence post, watching their car exit turn 4 and start down the front stretch. They never saw the car coming that hit the very fence post they were leaning on. One is in serious condition, the other…

As track photographer I had to document the whole scene (except obviously not the medics trying to do their job). There are scenes burned into my mind that I wonder if I’ll ever stop seeing. This is the first time in all my years of shooting races that I’ve had to deal with real tragedy at a track I was working and I guess I’m having a hard time dealing with it.

Please join me in keeping Paul and his wife Debbie, who was with him and helped comfort many of the victims, families, and spectators, in your prayers.

Lord, You are with us in life and in death. Help those who witness horrific events to know Your presence and comfort. Bless Paul, Debbie, and all who witnessed and were directly involved in this horrific accident with Your love and peace. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.