The message of Memorial Day is one of sacrifice. On this day, we honor those who—throughout the history of our nation—paid the ultimate price to secure and defend our freedom. These were fathers and mothers, sons and daughters, who said goodbye to their families, never to return. It’s our honor to keep their memory alive.
In John 15:13, Jesus makes a simple, yet profound, statement: “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends” (NKJV).
This verse often comes to mind when I think of the sacrifice of those who died in service to our nation. This is the ultimate gift—there’s nothing more a soldier can give. They’ve paid the price with their very breath and blood, all for you and me.
Of course, when Jesus said those words, He understood that He, too, would soon give His own life. In Mark 10:45, Jesus said, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (NKJV).
Our military members surrendered their lives to secure our freedom in this mortal realm, and Jesus gave His life—conquering sin and the grave—to offer us eternal freedom from the bondage of sin and the power of death.
1 Corinthians 15:55–57 reinforces this truth: “‘O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?’ The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (NKJV).
This Memorial Day, I invite you to take a moment to consider the incredible price that has been paid by so many for the freedom we have in the United States. Be grateful for those who gave all they had for you and for me. Honor those who have gone before.
At the same time, devote yourself to living for Christ, whose death and resurrection opened the door to salvation. As Paul writes in Romans 12:1, “Present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service” (NKJV).
Surrender everything to the one who paid the debt for you, cling to His promises, and live a life worthy of the sacrifices that have been made for us.
