Those who have gone before us

Yesterday was Memorial Day, a time when we remember those service men and women who gave their lives in defense of this country. As a Navy vet who served during Vietnam I've spent quite a bit of time this weekend thinking about our nation's veterans and those who lost their lives while serving. Over 58,000 Americans gave their lives during the Vietnam war. More than one million service men and women have given their lives in the various wars we've fought since we first fought for our independence.

Every freedom we enjoy as a nation is due to the sacrifice of these brave men and women and the countless millions of others who have served our nation. We also owe our freedoms to the families of those who served, and in too many cases, gave their lives. I have great respect for Gold Star Families and the pain they've endured since learning their loved one would not return home.

As I thought about the meaning of Memorial Day and my own service I realized that, knowing everything I know today, I would still have entered the service. I was proud to serve our country, and I remain proud to have served. I learned a lot about who I was during my four years in the Navy, and those years helped shape me into the man I am today.

I've also spent time this weekend thinking about those who have gone before us in the church. Our churches are here today because faithful men and women were willing to sacrifice to establish churches across this nation. They proclaimed the Gospel, served in many capacities, and worked hard to ensure that we would have a church in which to worship God. We stand on the shoulders of those great Christian men and women who came before us.

All this means we are stewards of what has been given us. Whether or not our nation continues to enjoy our numerous freedoms depends on us to maintain them. We cannot afford to give back our freedoms to any government, including our own. Our children and grandchildren are counting on us.

The same can be said of our churches. There will come a day when we will need to hand over our churches to future generations, and it's up to us to determine how healthy those churches will be. If the idea of turning over our churches to those generations who will come after us it might help to remember that they are not our churches. They belong to God. We are merely stewards.

Let us be found faithful stewards of both our nation and our churches.