Faith & Insight: Every day is Memorial Day

As a grateful nation, we pay tribute to the brave men and women who served our country, defended our freedom and liberty, and paid the ultimate price and service to the United States of America. We honor their service and sacrifice. Because of such incredible loyalty to our country and its inhabitants, it’s only right and appropriate a day has been set aside to show appreciation and gratitude.

The Bible speaks of a great and abiding love and it defines it as a willingness to lay down one’s life for another.

In the Gospel of John, Jesus says, “This is My commandment, that you love and unselfishly seek the best for one another, just as I have loved you. No one has greater love, nor stronger commitment, then to lay his own life down for his friends.”

In President Lincoln’s Gettysburg address, he tells us how we can show gratitude for this great act. He said, “It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us, that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion, that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain, that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom, and that a government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”

For Christians, it should be Memorial Day every day!

The Bible tells us while we were yet sinners (not friends) Christ laid down his life for us. For he made him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in him. It’s by grace, through faith, that we’re saved.

The gratitude we have for those who stood in harm’s way to protect our freedom and liberty is without question.

It also must be said our deep and heartfelt gratitude is to the Lord Jesus Christ, who through his sacrifice purchased us from sin and death to give us redemption and salvation.

May we give our last full measure of devotion, to and for the cause for which Jesus gave his full measure of devotion. May we highly resolve his death and resurrection will never be in vain but our lives, for those who have received him through faith, will be living proof he indeed has risen and dwells within the temple of our lives.

May the Lord bless and keep you, may the Lord’s face continue to shine upon you, and give you peace.

Pat Propster is pastor of Calvary Chapel Carson City.