The Crucified Cross - our only memorial.
The "U Go offensive, or Operation C", the Japanese offensive launched in March 1944 against forces of the British Empire in the northeast Indian regions of Manipur and the Naga Hills, through the two towns of Imphal and Kohima, one of the last major Japanese offensives during the Second World War. The Japanese and their allies were first held and then pushed back.
The war memorial in Kohima, capital of Nagaland, reads:
"When you go home, tell them of us and say, For your tomorrow, we gave our today."
Ephesians 1:4, Paul writes that God “chose us in Him before the foundation of the world.” Jeremiah 1:5, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you.." God knows about each one of us even before he laid the foundations of the universe. He knows each one of us, because He created us in His own image. Genesis 1:27 reads, "So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them;" What does God expects from us? Leviticus 11:44 says, "For I am the LORD your God: ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I am holy: neither shall ye defile yourselves with any manner.." God wants us to be holy; to holiness, Apostle Peter adds something more 1Peter 1:14, "Obedience", the scripture reads, "As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy"" (1Peter 1:14-16). Rather than showing obedience, what did our ancestor "the first man Adam" (1Corinthians 15:45) did? He disobeyed God's commandment, God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’”(Genesis 3:3). Both Adam and Eve disobeyed God and sinned against God. The consequence of sin is death. Romans 6:23 reads, "For the wages of sin is death"; "Don't you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey - whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness?" Paul questions in Romans 6:16. And Paul reminds us of a remedy for this eternal death, the remedy or the gift is Jesus Christ, "..but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 6:23). God shows His love for us in such a way that "..while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8). Jesus says, "I am the good shepherd; ..I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep.. I must bring them also. .. The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life - only to take it up again" (John 10:14-17). The Annunciation, Birth, Crucifixion and Resurrection of Jesus Christ has a purpose and He is here to fulfill it. Jesus says, "..just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many" (Matthew 20:28, Mark 10:45). Writing to Timothy, Paul writes, "For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all,.." (1Timothy 2:5,6). As prophesied by prophet Isaiah, [“Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth. By oppression and judgment he was taken away. Yet who of his generation protested? For he was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgression of my people he was punished. He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth. Yet it was the Lord’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the Lord makes his life an offering for sin, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the Lord will prosper in his hand. After he has suffered, he will see the light of life and be satisfied; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities. Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors" (Isaiah 53:4-12)], Jesus was crucified for our sins, "He personally carried our sins in his body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right (righteousness)" (1Peter 2:24). He died for our iniquities, and as Jesus himself predicts his resurrection, "they will condemn him to death ..and crucified. On the third day he will be raised to life!" (Matthew 20:18,19). As said He was risen on the third day. As the purpose is been served, so now it is for us to confess our sins, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness" (1John 1:9).
To conclude, if we can remember history and make a memorial for those brave soldiers who fought a brave fight in World War2, how much more are we owed to pay back for Him who had died instead of us. The punishment that we had to face, He took upon Him (Isaiah 53:5). Let us remember our Lord's Great Commission for us "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always,..." (Matthew 28 19,20). The Crucified Cross is our only great memorial.
So, let's take a decision, "When I am out of home, I will tell them of Jesus and say, For your tomorrow, Jesus gave His life."
Source about Kohima memorial is taken from Wikipedia.
