Through the years I have listened to many heroes tell stories of war, honor, serving the military and how proud they were to be part of a country that is free. Each stood in uniform at one time or another committed to ensuring your freedom and mine.
Remember that freedom is never free. Someone had to pay a price. Jesus paid for our salvation. Brave men and women have served so that our country could remain strong and free. In both cases, we are tremendously blessed.
Who are some of the heroes you have walked with? I remember hearing my grandfather mention being in the U.S. Navy during World War II. Another grandfather when I was born was serving in Vietnam in the U.S. Army. My uncle was a U.S. Air Force jet pilot and trained other pilots up to his retirement. Another is my cousin’s husband who was also a pilot and part of one of the elite flying groups of the Air Force. Our son in law serves now in the Army. These and so many others are marked as vital parts of our nation’s history.
We have much to be thankful for, and we have much to protect. War and conflict isn’t fun, and there are all kinds of conflict all the time. Yet God offers each of us true peace as we lean on and trust Him.
Psalm 33:12 NLT
Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, The people whom He has chosen for His own inheritance.
Through my adult life I have met many young people who have served in our nation’s military. Many have come back different and often in pain. It could be pain from a wound or from what they experienced.
Again, freedom isn’t free, and these people are to be honored. Memorial Day is very different from Veteran’s Day. Today we remember those who have died. We remember their sacrifice.
Galatians 5:13 NLT
“For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love.”
How about our freedom in Christ? It is my understanding that our belief in God is to be part of every area of life that includes how we vote and how deal with our leaders and government. If you are a Christian, your faith ought to influence how you act and decide on matters. God is to be part of every area of our lives. That includes what we speak up for.
We are free because of God’s gift of freedom, and we cannot take that freedom lightly. We must fight for our freedom. We fight for our spiritual freedom by trusting Christ and for our country’s freedom by remembering and practicing our faith and following God.
It is Memorial Day. It is a time to remember and to thank God for all He has blessed us with. I pray that we as Americans on this day and many days will thank God for this nation and do our part to that our nation rises us to bless God.
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