"And if we have not
rather done it for fear of this thing, saying, In time to come your
children might speak unto our children, saying, What have ye to do with
the Lord God of Israel? For the Lord hath made Jordan a border between us and you, ye children of Reuben and children of Gad; ye have no part in the Lord: so shall your children make our children cease from fearing the Lord. Therefore we said, Let us now prepare to build us an altar, not for burnt offering, nor for sacrifice: But that it may be a witness between us, and you, and our generations after us, that we might do the service of the Lord
before him with our burnt offerings, and with our sacrifices, and with
our peace offerings; that your children may not say to our children in
time to come, Ye have no part in the Lord."- Joshua 22:24-27
Today is Memorial Day in America. We remember those who have fought and died that we might live in the freedom we have, only because of their sacrifice and service for us.
And this is a day to not only remember them, but also to remind ourselves and our descendants of this great gift of freedom we have – freedom to worship the LORD and speak our mind, even speak His name wherever we are, to live the life we choose according to whatever values we embrace in this land where our leaders and warriors are sworn to protect and defend these rights of freedom we hold so dear.
In Joshua’s day the people of Israel were divided by a river that ran through the land. They were afraid there might come a day that a river might run through their memories and hearts, dividing them from each other and their common heritage of one nation under God (v. 28-29). And in our day, let us remember our common heritage and our common hope to live in a land that still sees freedom as a great gift worth preserving and defending with all we have and all that we are.
Freedom is the redemptive gift of our land, as a witness to this world. Let us repent of every way we have not always honored the great freedom we have or the men and women who have fought and died for us to live in the land of the free. And let us remember the descendants of generations to come who are to have this same gift and godly heritage we are to protect and defend, in the power of His grace, for them to embrace and enjoy.
