MEMORIAL DAY

Dictionary.reference.com defines memorial as “something designed to preserve the memory of a person or event.” People who stay in a perpetual state of anger, pain, and sadness, choose to remember the negative aspects of a person or situation. They memorialize the dark side of their past Pop psychology call them the walking wounded. The veterans of the heart wars cannot move on, or even reflect on the happy times of the past, because they have only repeated, reviewed, and rehearsed the pain of yesterday rather than the joy that was also present at the time. Those in perpetual pain memorialize their darkest moments, reliving each painful image, and bring the old pain into each and every new day. In order to move on, those who dwell in sadness must make a clear and decisive decision to focus on the happiness that coexisted with the sorrow of the past.

How? Ephesians 6 tells us to put on the Helmet of Salvation. When we put on the full armor of God (10) we can stand firm against the devil’s evil plans (to inflict our mind with pain and rob us of joy). The Helmet (the Crown) of Salvation is the crown worn by the high priest of the temple. Aaron, Moses’ brother, was the first high priest and God made him holy to do the work in the temple. Jesus is our high priest.

The Turban and the Holy Crown (Exodus 28:36-39) http://www.domini.org/tabern/highprst.htm .
“The Turban was made of white fine linen which signified righteous deeds (Revelation 19:8).” With the turban or helmet of the full armor of God, “the emphasis is on our mind, the covering of our thought processes, "taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ" (II Corinthians 10:5) by taking "the helmet of salvation (Ephesians 6:17). Our mind is the big problem.” When we dwell on past pain and injustice we focus on all things rotten in our lives.

“Attached to the Turban and upon the forehead of the high priest was the Crown, a gold plate on which ‘HOLY TO THE LORD’ was engraved.” God made the high priest Holy and pure. “This seal of God is legitimately there on the forehead of our Lord Jesus Christ, our great High Priest. But for us, whom He has also made priests (Revelation 1:5-6), there is a clear indication that we are not just to be outwardly dressed up in Christ; He must transform us, by the renewing of our mind that we may prove the will of God: our sanctification (Romans 12:2 & I Thessalonians 4:3). We need to be renewed in the spirit of our mind, to put on the new man created in righteousness and true holiness (Ephesians 4:23-24)!”

When we take on the Helmet of Salvation of Jesus Christ, we take on HIS nature of being HOLY TO THE LORD. We cannot stop our negative thoughts on our own but Christ can when we are willing to give up the pain of the past and give it to God through the blood of the lamb, our high priest, Jesus.

We may not want to lay down our bad thoughts. We may want to continue to punish ourselves and our loved ones around us whom we lash out at in our pain. We may cling to feelings of unfairness, disrespect, and no-one-is-as-perfect-as-me. How do we know we are wallowing in, and memorializing, our own ‘stinkin’ thinkin’? People may actually tell us that we are sounding negative. My uncle Ira said, “When I nearly run into someone with my car, I say, ‘Boy, they sure are a lousy driver.’ When I nearly have a second accident, I say, ‘I’d better watch out for all these bad drivers.’ When I have a third near mishap, I say, ‘I’d better watch out how I’m driving,’ acknowledging it is probably my own fault. When we are bombarded by negative thoughts, and are ready to admit it, we may not be able to overcome those thoughts on our own. Then, we can put on our Helmet of Salvation and turn our negative thinking over to Christ who has been sanctified, and repeat over and over, “HOLY TO THE LORD.” Let us pray:

“Father of life and truth, holy is your name, love is your very nature. May your spirit come to live in my heart this very day so that I may lay down painful thinking at your feet. For this very day, I pray that I may remember to put on your high priest, Jesus’, Helmet of Salvation on which the crown of gold is inscribed, “HOLY UNTO THE LORD.” May my thinking be transformed through Jesus, to Holy thinking, Holy unto you, Father. Forgive me when I have strengthen the hate and anger in my heart from past disappointments by rehearsing them over and over. I am ready to lay all that aside and live my life, and think my thoughts, Holy unto you. I cannot do this on my own but recognize that Jesus, my high priest is worthy of taking on all my negativity and lay it at your alter where it can be burned into a pure ash and smoke, to honor you and to seal the love of my children, family and those I meet. In the name of Jesus your son, my savior and high priest, I pray. Amen.”
Doris
Copyright 2009 Doris Gaines Rapp, Ph.D.
“God gives us stories that testify to His love. Let me tell you mine.”