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Memorial Day: today is a holiday for you, denoting the 1.1 million men and women who gave their lives while in military service to America during times of war and conflict. It was first observed in 1868, following the end the Civil War that took 498,332 soldiers’ lives on both sides of the conflict. While all deaths are tragic, the lives lost in defense of country, freedom and others are worthy of an annual reminder that anything worth living for may become a cause worth dying for.

While today is given to recalling patriotic heroism in service to America through our 247-year history as a nation, there is no day set-aside to remember the men and women who – through the history recounted in Scripture – have lived and died in service to the Kingdom of God. Lacking a day of focus, the Holy Spirit inspired the writer of Hebrews to include some of the spiritual heroes of God’s history so that their sacrificial service would never be forgotten. Visit their memorials in Hebrews chapter 11…

Military conflict occurs within prescribed boundaries: wars are declared; victory is demonstrated. Times of peace connect eras of recognized struggle; peacetime attitudes vary significantly from wartime postures. The contrast with the nature of spiritual warfare is massive: the war of the ages began when Lucifer declared rebellion against the King of Heaven and the casualties began to mount. From Eden past to Eternity future, the active battlefront is on Earth, and will continue until the King returns from Heaven to achieve the final victory and banish the rebels – demons and the unredeemed – to purify His Kingdom and establish the reign of righteousness.

As Americans, we honor the fallen across three centuries. As followers of Jesus, we honor the fallen across four millennia. Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force and Coast Guard have all contributed their troops to America’s war fronts. In the Kingdom, the battles are fought by women and men of faith. That’s the key distinguisher: “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for” (v 1-2).

The examples of the faithful are notable, in God’s view: people like Abel, Enoch, Noah and Abraham come into the first displays of God’s exhibit hall, with this reminder: “All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth “ (v 13).

It’s a short list in Hebrews, but it includes Medal-of-Holy-Honor recipients like Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses and Rahab. Each of these bigger-than-life examples of faith have significant accounts from their life stories archived in the Old Testament, but the highlight hall of Hebrews runs out of space to do justice to all of the extraordinaries. As the author expresses, “And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson and Jephthah, about David and Samuel and the prophets…” (v 32).

Lest we think that being a holy hero provided a spiritual shield that insulated the saints from vulnerability: “Some faced jeers and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were put to death by stoning; they were sawed in two; they were killed by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated – the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, living in caves and in holes in the ground.,,” (v 36-38).

Those men and women will be among the warriors whose commitment to the battles of the Kingdom will be recognized and rewarded on the Other Side.

For today, let’s honor America’s faithful. Every day, let’s be the Kingdom’s faithful… anticipating the honor we’ll earn and receive at the awards ceremony that will be held at the Bema Seat!