Today is November 11, Canadians pause in a moment of silence to remember the men and women who faithfully serve their country in the times of peace and war. The Remembrance Day has been observed in Canada and other non-Commonwealth countries since the end of the World War I, following a tradition inaugurated by King George V in 1919.
I was born and lived 20 years of my life in Ukraine. My remembrance stays there, not withholding the honor of duty of any soldier of any country who served. In the time of World War I, Ukraine was already divided in two parts: about 80%, – North, East, South and Central Ukraine, was under the Russian Empire, and Western Ukraine was under the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Between 4 – 4.5 millions of Ukrainians were fighting on the both sides. About 400 thousands of Ukrainian soldiers died fighting on the side of Russian Empire, and about 120 thousands – on the side of Austro-Hungarian Empire. While fighting on the both sides in the World War I Ukraine has lost 1 million civilian people from starvation and disease; 350 thousands of civilians died from the hands of soldiers; 1.5 thousands of industrial and about 40% of the farms and residential buildings were destroyed.
What should we do with that memory?
According to the Global Conflict Tracker there are 26 ongoing wars and military conflicts including my homeland Ukraine. I don’t want to go into details in order to find the cause of them, but I can say with confidence that the root of every war and conflict is the evil and vice of humanity. People have deceitful hearts and short memory. Unlike our Lord God.
Scripture
16 And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth. -- Genesis 9:16 KJV
Observation
The rainbow appears when the clouds dispose the rain. The same rain what brought the flood upon the face of the Erath. And when the clouds are roll over and the rain prevails we have most reason to fear the wrath of God. But our God is longsuffering, our God is kind and merciful, our God is faithful and just. And despite our wickedness and sinfulness God keeps forgiving us our transgression against Him. God promises us eternal salivation and He remembers His promise. The rainbow in the sky is the token of God’s covenant with all living creatures: “And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant“.
This is the first of 16 references to an “everlasting covenant” made by God. This is unconditional and unbreakable promise of God. The first covenant was made with “all flesh that is upon the earth“. The last with all who are redeemed with the blood of Jesus Christ – “Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant” – Hebrews 13:20
God remembers and keeps His promises. Lest we forget…
Appliaction
This is the time for your journaling. Reflect on these questions. Ask the Holy Spirit to test your faith and your walk with Christ.
Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates? — 2 Corinthians 13:5 KJV
- Is there some moments in your life what you keep memory about?
- Why do you keep it in your memory?
- Do you have a cloudy moments in your life?
- Is there any particular verse what brings the rainbow into your life?
- What does God’s promises and God’s Words mean for you?
Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father, we praise and glorify You name. We thank you Lord for peace in Canada and we pray for those who are in the midst of war. We pray Lord that the Holy Spirit will oversees soldiers who serve their duties for their nation and their country. Lord God we also pray that the hearts of the leader of those countries who are in the conflict will incline to Your Word and will have a desire to make peace, but not war. Lord we thank You for Your promises to us and we pray that You will give us a strength to remember and to do our duties before You.
These we pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen
