Lest We Forget

gomezhome ♦ 24/04/2022 ♦ 2 Comments

Tomorrow is ANZAC Day. Especially tomorrow, we in Australia remember those who have sacrificed their lives so that we can live in peace and safety.  We also remember those who have served our country and have come back from the war scarred, either mentally or physically. It is right to do so, without glorifying war.

We often use the words “Lest we forget” in such remembrances. These words are taken from a poem called Resessional by Rudyard Kipling. The first stanza is:

‘God of our fathers, known of old, Lord of our far-flung battle line, Beneath whose awful hand we hold Dominion over palm and pine—Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet, Lest we forget—lest we forget!’ (Wikipedia).

This in turn is likely taken from the Bible, (Deuteronomy 4:7-9, King James version):

“For what nation is there so great, who hath God so nigh unto them, as the Lord our God is in all things that we call upon him for? And what nation is there so great, that hath statutes and judgments so righteous as all this law, which I set before you this day? Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life: but teach them thy sons, and thy son’s sons”.

Which reminds us that we have become a great nation because of God. Let’s not forget that.

And of course we quote Jesus’ words too, from John 15:13 “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends”.

Until next time…