Remembrance Day

Today is Remembrance Day. Each year, Canadian government officials in each province, veterans’ groups and citizens will come together on November 11 at 11 AM to commemorate those soldiers who died for the country. They show respect with a moment of silence and by laying wreaths at various monuments. The first national memorial service to fallen soldiers was in November, 1919 after the First World War. It was established by King George V and was known as Armistice Day. Commemorative events were carried out in all the British Commonwealth countries. Later, the name was changed to Remembrance Day in Canada. On this day, all Canadian citizens are asked to honour those brave soldiers who sacrificed their lives for freedom and democracy during the First and Second World Wars, the Korean War, peacekeeping missions from 1950 through 2007 and the current conflict in Afghanistan.

To pay tribute to Canadian soldiers in this period of remembrance, there is an article in the current issue of Maclean’s with the title: “If you are reading this, I’m sorry, but I will not be coming back home.” It contains some of the last testaments written by the Canadian soldiers stationed in Kandahar. Most of them were very young, aged from 21 to 38. They were sent by their country to a dangerous war zone in Afghanistan to help the new government carry out anti-terrorist and peacekeeping missions. 26 year-old Nichola Goddard was a female infantry officer in charge of an all-male platoon. She was killed in a clash with Taliban insurgents on May 17, 2006. Her last words had the following sentence, “The more we interact with the people, the more I think we are serving a purpose.” These soldiers who represented Canada deserve our respect, for they loved their country and served with an attitude of total submission to the military, carrying out their duties in the most dangerous war zone and risking their lives for the mission.

Remembrance Day also lets the writer recall those saints who became martyrs for the Kingdom and the Gospel of God. If Canadians soldiers are willing to sacrifice their lives for the ideals of freedom, democracy and justice, Christian soldiers should not lose their conviction of loyalty to the Kingdom of God, and forget our Lord Jesus Christ who triumphed over Satan who once held the power of death. The Church of Christ is the army that is stationed on earth by God to fight the spiritual battle. Since the time of Stephen, the first martyr, the church has experienced much earthly opposition and even persecution through different ages and at different places. Innumerable Christians suffered and died for the sake of the Gospel and the Name of Jesus Christ, becoming martyred warriors. The Church’s history was written by the blood of many saints. When we seek knowledge of the Bible, it is also important for us to know more about Church history and the conditions of missionaries in different countries. That will widen our perspective and create a sense of burden within us for the Kingdom of God. Please log onto the following websites for more information about the Kingdom Ministry. Pray for the missionaries and those Christians who are suffering for our Lord Jesus.

“And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets, who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. Women received back their dead, raised to life again. Others were tortured and refused to be released, so that they might gain a better resurrection. Some faced jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison. They were stoned; they were sawed in two; they were put to death 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, and in caves and holes in the ground. These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.” Hebrews 11:32-40

By: Daniel To