Good morning on this Saturday, May 26th. This is Memorial Day weekend and marks the time when we remember and honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation - the giving of their lives. This Memorial Day many tributes will be offered for the fallen and we will all enjoy a day off from work for the national holiday. But it would be a huge mistake to think of Memorial Day as a day to honor the many hundreds of thousands of soldiers who have laid down their lives throughout the history of this great nation without realizing that each of these soldiers was a son or daughter, a sister or brother, a father or mother to loved ones who suffered  an egregious loss because of their death. Their families have endured grief, sorrow, pain, and enduring hurt over their loss which will last a life time. So Memorial Day is not only about remembering our war dead, it is about remembering to pray for their loved ones who will once again face their absence and freshly endure their loss. My heart goes out to each of them. May we all pause to remember and thank God for the fallen and may we also say a prayer for their families. Samuel's exclamation in the Old Testament is an appropriate admonition, "Moreover as for me, God forbid that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you: but I will teach you the good and right way" ( 1 Samuel 12:23).
Tomorrow's sermon will be the final message in Ephesians and will deal with the warfare of the believer. Next week's sermon will be a prophecy message.
I hope you will be in the services tomorrow.
Mel Brown