There is no Greater Love
“There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for a friend.” John 15:13
This is the weekend that every year our country sets aside a day to remember and honor the ultimate sacrifice men and women have made to help preserve the freedom, peace, and future of our country. We call it Memorial Day. There are thousands of heroic and patriotic stories out there of families losing spouses, siblings, children, and parents. Our freedom has come at a very high price. There is no greater love than sacrificial love. Therefore, we should honor our loved ones and their sacrifice. We could and should use the freedom that they bought to proclaim the love of God that is found in Christ Jesus!
A few years ago, I had the privilege of attending a funeral ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery. It happened to be a service for my brother-in-law who was a lifelong Navy man. It was almost beyond description as we took in the immaculate grounds, the detail of the marker placement, the precision and perfection of the men participating in the presentation, the piercing yet calming sound of the bugle playing Taps, and the final report of the 21 gun salute. It was a memory that will probably be with me till the day I die. What an honor it was to be there. As I observed my brother-in-law's grave and the thousands of others just like his I couldn’t help but think of John 15:13 again - “There is no greater love”...
I would certainly encourage everyone to take time to remember the fallen. We get caught up in the picnics, yard work and sports activities and family gatherings that the real meaning of Memorial Day just passes us by. Let me suggest this to you – we as Christians are “memorable people.” The whole of our faith depends on remembering. The entire Bible itself is a memorial. We are to meditate on it daily to remember. Israel’s “feasts”, the Sabbath, Easter, Christmas, baptisms – all these celebrations are memorials.
So, as we commemorate Memorial Day, let us do it with profound gratitude. And as Christians, let us make everyday a memorial day. Let us remember Jesus our Lord (2 Tim 2:8).