As I mentioned yesterday, we have friends from out of town visiting us. We get a lot of visitors – we’d like to think it’s because we’re such fun to be around – closer to the truth might be our proximity to Washington, DC!
When you do visit Washington (and stay in a hotel) you have to take a night tour of the monuments and the memorials. You get a whole different perspective of these attractions at night.
So, we bundled everyone up, (it’s still rather cold here) loaded up the car and made a late night trip into downtown DC. Our first stop was the Lincoln Memorial impressive enough during the day, but spectacular at night! From the Lincoln we make our way to the Vietnam Memorial - also known as ‚Äúthe Wall.‚Äù Coming upon the wall at night, the closer you get, the names fade through the black into view. It’s really hard for me to describe the experience.
I’m not sure how many times I’ve seen the Wall in the 5 plus years we’ve lived here, but each time I see it I’m struck by the simplicity of the memorial, I‚Äôm awed by the sacredness of that space and moved by the message it proclaims.
Every single name, all 54,285 names etched in that wall represent a life given in the service of our country. Each name holds a story. Each name was a son or a brother, a father or a husband. I think about those names – who they were, what kind of person they were, how they died.
I think about those who come to the Wall in order to see the names – did they know them, serve with them? Many who come bring paper and pencil to make an etching of a particular name. Others come to take a picture, to touch the name of a friend or loved one and to weep. Many leave medals, flags, pins, poems, wreaths, and a whole host of other items. I marvel at the effect, the simplicity and power of a name engraved on a wall, how it can stir within such emotions and feelings.
Those names, engraved in the Wall, beg me not to forget – Not to forget the commitment, the sacrifice, the loss, not to forget the person behind the name.
Those names, engraved in the Wall, also make me remember – make me remember that my name is also engraved in a very sacred place.
I remember that my name is graven on His hand. I remember that my name is written on His heart. I remember that because of my faith in Jesus Christ my name is inscribed in the Lamb’s book of life. This is exactly where my name needs to be. This is exactly where your name needs to be.
The Wall stands that we would not forget the people behind the names. The cross stands that we would never forget the God behind the cross.
