Looking Back on Memorial Day

If you are reading this devotion from the comfort of your home in the USA, you have lots to be grateful for!

Looking Back on Memorial Day

This week's devotions are written by my son, Bryant Forshee, Lead Student Pastor for Cross Church, Springdale, AR campus.

- Pastor Danny

"Pay your obligations to everyone... respect to those you owe respect, and honor to those you owe honor."

(Romans 13:7, CSB)

Last Monday was the last Monday in May, and because of the Uniform Monday Holiday Act passed in 1968, this day of May every year is known as Memorial Day. This day serves "to commemorate American military personnel who died in all wars, including World War II, The Vietnam War, The Korean War, and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan." (Source.) For most Americans, this day concludes a three-day weekend involving cookouts, hangouts, travel, and time with family and friends. There are also usually some crazy folks (myself included) who choose to do the Memorial Day Murph workout in honor of a great soldier who gave his life for our country.

If you are reading this devotion from the comfort of your home in the USA, you have lots to be grateful for! We can be grateful for the many men and women who have paid the ultimate price with their lives protecting this country. We can be thankful for the men and women who are currently sacrificing for the protection and safety of our country. We can be grateful to God for allowing us to live in this great country. While this is a far from perfect country, I think we can all agree that it is a grace of God in our lives that, in His goodness, He has placed us in the United States at this time where we can enjoy so many blessings.

With God's grace and goodness evident in placing us in the USA today, let's be people who show respect to whom we owe respect and honor to whom we owe honor, as Romans 13 talks about. Maybe you have a member of your family who paid the ultimate price serving our country, and you need to ask some questions about their life and learn more about them. Perhaps you could do a Memorial Day workout like the Murph and pay your respect that way. Maybe you have a family member currently serving and could encourage them with a phone call, Facetime, or in another unique way. Maybe you could re-share someone else's Memorial Day post or message to show honor and respect to that family that has lost a loved one.

Even though Memorial Day was last week, today, would you take advantage of the blessing that God has allowed you to live in the United States and give honor and respect to those who are due much honor and respect? Today, would you intentionally and practically live out Romans 13:7?

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Podcast of the Week

Evangelical Political Thought & Activism, with Cindy Asmussen

Pastor Danny continues his conversation with Cindy Asmussen, GHBC member, SBTC Public Policy Advisor, and SBC Board of Trustees member of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission. In this episode, Cindy shares about her work in the Southern Baptist Church, her conservative political activism, and what she thinks about key current issues, including how Christians ought to vote.

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