Recalling Our Great Heritage

I was recently asked to pray at the Daughters of the American Revolution “Memorial Day Service” held on May 27, 2013 at the Renaissance Center in downtown Cadiz, Kentucky. I was under the impression that I needed to bring a short devotional; however, I found out later that this was unnecessary. Since I had already written something, I thought I would share it in the “Canton Clarion.” Perhaps someone might find it interesting:

I wish to begin by sharing about a Kentucky hero of the American Revolution. Since we live in Trigg County, I thought we should be made aware of how it was named in honor of Stephen Trigg. He was killed ten months after the surrender of Cornwallis at Yorktown in one of the last battles of the American Revolution, while leading the Lincoln County militia at the Battle of Blue Licks (Wikipedia).

Now, allow me to share about another Kentucky hero of the American Revolution: Simon Kenton, frontiersman and travelling companion to Daniel Boone, was once taken prisoner and carried off to Detroit, Michigan by the Shawnee Indians and Captain Peter Drouillard of the British Army. He eventually escaped and made his way back to Kentucky.

After his escape, “the British and the Indians began an assault on the Kentucky settlements to squash the revolution and end the invasion of the hunting grounds. In response, George Rogers Clark assembled the Kentucky militia to rout the Indian towns along the Little Miami, as well as harass British forts.” Simon Kenton was appointed as Captain in charge of the militia scouts and spies (Ohio State Parks Magazine, Fall-Winter 2003).

The Sons and Daughters of the American Revolution have had more of an impact on our lives and shaping this great nation than many people realize. For example, the website of the Sons of the American Revolution states that as many as one-third of Americans are descended from those who participated in the Revolution. For example, my great, great, great, great grandmother was Jane Kenton, sister to war hero Simon Kenton.

We wouldn’t know our country’s great heritage if it weren’t for genealogical research. I was reading on the Daughters of the American Revolution website that “as one of the most inclusive genealogical societies in the country, DAR boasts 170,000 members in 3,000 chapters across the United States and internationally.” When we look at the Bible it is replete with long genealogical lists, with Matthew chapter one being a prime example; emphasizing the importance of recalling one’s heritage.

Therefore, let’s never forget the sacrifices of those who have gone on before us, and let’s be certain to honor them by continuing in the fight for freedom and justice, and by recognizing our spiritual heritage in the Lord.

Guideline for a Possible Closing Prayer: Father, we thank you for the freedom that we experience in this great country; and this Memorial Day we recognize the sacrifices of those who have made it all possible. We especially wish to thank you for sending your one and only Son, Jesus Christ, who won our spiritual freedom by dying on the cross for our sins. May you bless our time together. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

The Drive to Be Remembered Forever

Solomon said in Ecclesiastes 2:16, “For there is no more remembrance of the wise than of the fool forever, since all that now is will be forgotten in the days to come.” To be forgotten is one of our greatest fears. To some people, the only thing that really matters in life is making their mark; or rather, doing something by which they will be remembered when they are long gone.

The Bible says, for example, that when Joab and his men killed David’s son Absalom, they threw him into a pit in the woods and laid a large heap of stones over the place where his body lay (2 Sm 18:14-17). The text emphasizes what a huge tragedy it would have been for Absalom to have remained in the middle of the woods totally forgotten, without something by which to remember him.

The Scripture makes sure to tell us this information: “Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and set up a pillar for himself, which is in the King’s Valley. For he said, ‘I have no son to keep my name in remembrance.’ He called the pillar after his own name. And to this day it is called Absalom’s Monument” (2 Sm 18:18).

We all want to be remembered when we’re gone; and some of us secure this legacy by having children; however, Absalom had none. The only one who remembered him when he was gone was his father David, as he cried out, “O my son Absalom; my son, my son Absalom” (2 Sm 18:33). However, the memory of Absalom would eventually fade away with David’s later passing; and we would have no record of his life if it weren’t for the Bible.

There is only one way we can be remembered for all time, and it has nothing to do with gaining worldly recognition. Malachi stated, “So a book of remembrance was written before Him, for those who fear the Lord and who meditate on His name” (Mal 3:16). If we know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, and make Him our life’s pursuit, our name will be forever recorded in the Lamb’s Book of Life (Rv 21:27).