Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily hinders our progress. And let us run with endurance the race that God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, on whom our faith depends from start to finish. He was willing to die a shameful death on the cross because of the joy he knew would be his afterward. Now he is seated in the place of highest honor beside God's throne in heaven. Think about all he endured when sinful people did such terrible things to him, so that you don't become weary and give up. (Hebrews 12:1-3 NLT).

Good morning! It's another Monday holiday! We love them, don't we? Memorial Day. I hope that the weather is cooperating for your outdoor activities today. As I think about this special day that has been set aside to remember those men and women who gave their lives for our freedom, I can't help but think about memories. Having a memory is a good thing. It is especially valuable when you are taking a test in school, or trying to recall that phone number you need. It is also helpful when you go to the grocery store to remember why you went in the first place.

But memories can also be hard on us. We can be weighed down with memories of past sins. We can hang on to incidents that brought us heartache. We can become so encumbered by painful pasts that we become immobilized. We can find ourselves feeling useless. These memories can wear us down and wear us out! How can we move beyond the pain of past hurts and sins to become positive in life? Our reading this morning gives us the answer. We need to fix our eyes on Jesus. In our remembering, we need to recall that though there was no sin in him, he bore our sins on the cross. He did this that our sins could be forgiven.

If we have accepted Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord, those sins are forgiven! And when God forgives, he forgives completely. If God is willing to let go of our sins because of Jesus' sacrifice, we do God a disservice by holding on to them!

On this Memorial Day, give thanks for those men and women who died in the service of their country. But give thanks as well that God has forgiven your sin and given you a new beginning. Whatever your plans today, spend a moment reflecting on the greatest of all sacrifices, that which Jesus made on your behalf. Give your past to him. Rest in your day. Trust him with your future.