It is not mere nostalgia to have a special day set aside for remembering a certain person or a particular event. On May 30th, the emphasis of the memorial is for those who served the United States of America in times of war, even to the supreme sacrifice of their lives. It is certainly fitting to give them recognition, and necessary that we don't forget the benefits of freedom we enjoy because of the price they paid to secure this.

Once a year, in the month Abib (our April), Israel was commanded to keep the Passover to remind them of their deliverance by the Lord from the land of Egypt: "Thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in the land of Egypt, and the Lord thy God redeemed thee: therefore I command thee this thing today" (Deut. 15:15). Jehovah did not want His people to forget—1st, their terrible bondage in Egypt, and 2nd, His wonderful deliverance from it. Alas, we fail to find in Scripture that they observed this memorial feast more than just a few times in their recorded history!

The tendency of the human heart to forget is quite evident. It was seen in the case of the butler who was released from prison through Joseph's ministry. Joseph had asked him to think about him and tell Pharaoh what had occurred and have him free Joseph. But we read, "Yet did not the chief butler remember Joseph, but forgat him" (Gen. 40:14).

Another case of ingratitude was seen in the days of our Lord's ministry on earth. He healed ten lepers who cried out to Him for mercy. They were all cleansed, but only "one of them, when he saw that he was healed turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, and fell down at His feet, giving Him thanks . . Jesus said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine?" (Luke 17:15-17).

Before our Lord went to the cross, and after the celebration of the last passover with His disciples, He instituted a memorial feast for us, His people today. In Luke 22:19,20 we read, "And He took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is My body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of Me. Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, "This cup is the New Testament in My blood which is shed for you." In Acts 2:42, we learn that from the birthday of the Church on the day of Pentecost, the first day of the week, the disciples continued steadfastly "in breaking of bread" to keep this feast. In Acts 20:7, we learn 30 years later the disciples were still keeping the Word of the Lord in observing this memorial feast—"upon the first day of the week," they "came together to break bread."

It is still the privilege of believers today to be gathered together unto the name of the Lord Jesus each Lord's day for the same purpose. In so doing, those delivered from the judgment of God and from the bondage of the world, sin and death, remember "Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us" (1 Cor. 5:7). It is also true that we do "show [or announce] the Lord's death till He come" (1 Cor. 11:26).

Each first day of the week, then, becomes a "Memorial Day" for the child of God. Is my reader a believer? If so, are you observing this weekly memorial feast?