Memorial Day

Memorial Day in Lincoln, Pastor Dan McQuality recalls medic duty and war's immediacy to speak Christ's salvation

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[May 31, 2018]  Each year in November we observe Veteran’s Day, an official United States holiday that honors military veterans, all who have served in the Armed Forces.

Memorial Day, on the other hand, has a much broader purpose. We honor of those who have or are currently protecting our freedoms by serving in the military and potentially lay their very lives on the line each day, this day's primary focus is to remember the men and women who died while serving in the country’s Armed Forces.

On Monday morning, May 28, 2018 a Memorial Day Ceremony took place at the Lincoln American Legion Post 263.

The day began and ended with a prayer of blessing by Veteran Advocate, Joe Schaler.
To a crowded room with people standing in the back, incoming American Legion Commander Bob Sullivan introduced Pastor Dan McQuality of Grace Lutheran Church in Lincoln.

Pastor McQuality spoke to the community about Memorial Day being a “difficult day, a painful day. Especially to those who have served in combat this day stirs up memories of people that we love and their lives are now gone. It’s also a good day. It’s a good thing, an honorable thing, a noble thing that we bring light to the memory of those who have laid down their life for us.”

Pastor McQuality went on to tell a story about his desire in high school to serve his Lord and Savior in some way, and to be one of the few and proud and become a United States paratrooper.

He later found himself in Saudi Arabia and then Iraq for the ground war.

In one instance, working as a combat medic McQuality got a call that there had been an explosion and they needed medics. By the time he got to where the call had gone out, he found out that a soldier, he had previously met and neglected to tell about Christ had died. He knew at that moment that Memorial Day would never be the same for him again.

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If he had a second chance McQuality would have done things differently.
He observed that even those who have not served in the military are affected deeply on Memorial Day, saying that many know someone “from their home town that didn’t make it back. Maybe it’s personal because it was your father, your uncle, or maybe, even, a son. So when we look back on this day it is a difficult day, a painful day, but it is good for us to remember. It is necessary for us to remember those who have fallen."

He continued by observing that many live with regrets. Many think they aren’t worth very much, their life has little value. Yet, “when we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners” (Romans 5:6, NLT). In order for us to see the value in our lives “God gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16, NIV).

McQuality said because of this we know the worth of a fallen soldier. We can see that their life was valuable. They laid down their life for our freedom. “This day is dedicated to those who have fallen. May their memory and their sacrifice be honored by us. May God bless their sacrifice for us.”

To close out the ceremony, C. Wayne Schrader, sang his signature song, God Bless America. He was joined by Leslie Bennett, who had started the day with the Star Spangled Banner.

As the song says, “God Bless America, my home sweet home.”

[Lisa Ramlow]

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