Here, in Ness, we had our annual Service of Remembrance today. I have attended each one of these Remembrance Day services since coming back to the island, and have taken our children along each year too. I am so glad to see more children and young folk attending these past few years. It is so important that our children are taught to have some sense of appreciation for what the young men of this community did all these years ago. I pray none of the children I saw there today have to endure what many from their grandfathers' and great-grandfathers' generations had to endure.
I am also thankful that a committee was set up in Ness a number of years ago to erect a memorial with the names of all who were lost from this community in service to their country.
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One of our local ministers spoke from the words in John 15:13, "Greater love hath no man that this, that a man lay down his life for his friends". Having spoken of the great sacrifice that so many made for the sake of fellow soldiers, of king and country, and of family and freedom, he spoke of the greatest sacrifice that was ever made ... the sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ.
It is true, as he said, that we do no dishonour to the memory of the fallen when we move from speaking of their sacrifice to the sacrifice of the Lamb of God, who died that all those who believe on Him may have eternal salvation, and unspeakable freedom.
As always, a number of wreaths were laid. This photo shows a cadet laying a wreath on behalf of the Territorial Army.
As the service came to an end, the rainbow which had hovered throughout our time there, became a full arc, reminding us of our covenant-keeping God.
On the third from the right here is a man whose grandfather was lost in the Iolaire disaster. If you don't know the story, please read a post I wrote some time ago about the Iolaire.
I took this photo tonight. The sun has set and nobody is left around the memorial. It will be another year before the next Remembrance Day service, but let us commit to one thing: Let us never forget.
The rainbow picture is gorgeous! Thanks for reminding us of the sacrifices of those who have gone before us. A great gift we have been given, that others would die for us to be free--especially our Saviour, Jesus Christ!
ReplyDeleteVery moving post. On the subject of the younger generation, my university-student daughter went to London at the weekend to see the ceremony at the Cenotaph and take part in the act of remembrance there.
ReplyDeleteOh, my goodness! The photos with the rainbows brought tears to my eyes and gave me goosebumps. To me,this is such a reminder of God present in many ways throughout our days. A couple of years ago, during a drought period I had been praying for rain. Well, on my birthday the Lord granted my wish. He went farther than what I had even wished for and gave me double rainbows!! I love rainbows and for that to happen on my birthday during a drought made me feel like he was wishing me a happy birthday. Sounds strange to a lot of people I am sure but I always think of rainbows as God speaking to us. For you to have one at a time when you were honoring fallen soldiers and God our Father and Jesus for what they have done for us, well, wow I felt the impact clear through my soul. What a gift you all received that day!
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