Acts of Remembrance

# Acts of Remembrance

The United States has a tradition of lowering the flag to half-staff—called a half-mast flag—to honor those who have made significant contributions to the nation, state, or American community. Recently, at the end of September, six states—Idaho, Michigan, West Virginia, Kansas, South Carolina, and Massachusetts—lowered their flags to half-staff to honor notable figures who contributed greatly to their respective states. In Idaho, on September 30, Governor Brad Little ordered all American and Idaho flags to be flown at half-mast until the morning of October 5 to remember a member of the Idaho Department of Lands (IDL) fire crew who lost her life while serving the community. Isabella Oscarson passed away on September 26 after being struck by a fallen tree while responding to a wildfire. Governor Little stated: "The people of Idaho grieve the loss of Isabella Oscarson, a promising young woman whose life was cut short far too early while serving the people of Idaho as a wildland firefighter. Her loss is deeply felt by the firefighting community and beyond." Therefore, the state of Idaho lowered its flag to half-staff to honor the sacrifice of this female firefighter.

In Vietnamese culture, we also have similar acts of remembrance, such as Commemoration Ceremonies and Traditional Festivals—celebrations honoring great figures like the Nguyễn Trãi Festival, the Chu Văn An Festival, and the Lý Nam Đế Festival—held in the hometowns or places connected to these notable figures' lives. Beyond these, there are also activities of offering incense, artistic performances, historical reenactments, and passing down traditional values to the younger generation. We Vietnamese people naturally have gratitude for our benefactors, as we often hear the wise saying, "Eating the fruit, remember the one who planted the tree," which expresses our gratitude toward our benefactors. Today, many Christian families observe an annual remembrance day for their grandparents and parents, gathering family members and relatives together to recall their parents' and grandparents' kindness in giving them life and raising them, and they share God's teaching about honoring one's parents (Exodus 20:12; Deuteronomy 27:16; Matthew 15:4, 19:19). This is one of the precious acts of remembrance that should be maintained.

As for our God, the One who created this world and provides all that we need, what acts of remembrance do we have to honor His precious grace? Remembering God's works daily is not merely a matter of thinking about them; rather, we must also express our gratitude through concrete actions. Below are seven things we should strive to practice regularly to show our gratitude to God.

1. **Praise and thank God daily for all that He does in our lives.** His blessings—our work, family, church, food, clothing, and so on. "Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name" (Psalm 100:4). "I will praise you forever for what you have done; in your name I will hope, for your name is good. I will praise you in the presence of your faithful people" (Psalm 52:9). "I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well" (Psalm 139:14).

2. **Share God's works**—Tell others about what God has done in your own life, helping them understand who God is—the One who can do all things and provides abundant blessings in life, especially eternal life in Heaven. "And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work" (2 Corinthians 9:8). "The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing" (Psalm 23:1). "God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble" (Psalm 46:1). "How many are your works, Lord! In wisdom you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures" (Psalm 104:24).

3. **Diligently study the Scripture thoroughly** to clearly understand what God teaches, what He does, and how He helps us; so that our faith becomes stronger, we grow closer to God, and we live to glorify His name. "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path" (Psalm 119:105). "Good will come to those who are generous and lend freely, who conduct their affairs with justice" (Psalm 112:5). "I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread...For the Lord loves the just and will not forsake his faithful ones. Wrongdoers will be completely destroyed" (Psalm 37:25, 28).

4. **Teach God's Word to those around you**—help your family, friends, and fellow church members live according to His Word and glorify His name. "And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others" (2 Timothy 2:2). "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age" (Matthew 28:19-20). "Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts" (Colossians 3:16).

5. **Serve God wholeheartedly each day**, knowing that human life on earth is brief, and we cannot know what tomorrow holds; therefore, while we still live today, we should serve God with all our heart and serve others. "All people are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our Lord stands forever" (Psalm 103:15-16).

6. **Keep your focus on Jesus Christ always**, not being controlled by circumstances, and run toward the goal of God's Kingdom: "fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God" (Hebrews 12:2).

7. **Faithfully obey God's Word**, for He is the eternal God and our Redeemer who saves us from eternal death in hell. All the powers of this world will pass away. "But from everlasting to everlasting the Lord's love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children's children—with those who keep his covenant and remember to obey his precepts" (Psalm 103:17-18). "Blessed are those you choose and bring near to live in your courts! We are filled with the good things of your house, of your holy temple" (Psalm 65:4).

Thank you, Lord, Your name is above all names, You who are eternal, loving, and merciful, who give us life and all that we need each day, and You graciously grant us the ability to serve You! We rejoice in serving God, in dwelling in God's house, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit! Whether in prosperity or in trials, may our hearts always be grateful to God and faithfully serve Him; may we proclaim God's works to those around us, so that they too may know God clearly and open their hearts to receive Him as the Redeemer of their lives! Thank you, Lord, always! Amen!

Praise, thanksgiving, honor to God alone, Christ Jesus, who comes to save all people, Blessings granted, abundant and overflowing, Holy Spirit teaching, present everywhere!

Rejoice, commit ourselves to serving God, Faithfully proclaim the name of our God, Encourage and help one another, stand firm always, Live the faith with all our hearts, dear brothers and sisters!

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