Yesterday after school, Mara (Kindergarten) asked very
matter-of-factly, “Mama, did anyone in our family fight for my freedom?” I thought for a minute and gave her a list
(albeit an incomplete one). The names satisfied
her curiosity (at least for now), but her question had unsettled my
spirit. How often had I thought of those
men and women as fighting for my freedom? How would my view of them change if I really
understood their personal sacrifice and how that sacrifice has shaped my day-to-day
activity? … if I had any idea how
different my life would be if not one person had seen fit to serve and protect and
defend? If my new awareness caused a change in perspective, could it be seen in my daily life?
This morning as I sat down for my quiet
time and looked over to open the Bible, the Lord reminded me (in my spirit), ‘I
fought for your freedom.’ And
those questions that crowded my mind last night came flooding back, but this
time from a different angle:
How often do I think of Jesus as fighting for my
freedom? How would my view of Him
change if I really took the time to better understand His personal sacrifice and how that sacrifice
shapes my daily experience? Do I really have
any idea how different my life would be if Jesus hadn‘t come for me? Can others see my gratitude in my
day-to-day activities?
I challenge you, along with myself, to prayerfully consider these
questions – those regarding our U.S.
servicemen and veterans as well as those concerning the Lord Jesus Christ. In the next few days, as we honor our veterans (and rightfully so),
let us offer them thanks that goes beyond words; let our thanks come from our
hearts and find its expression in our actions.
Likewise thank God, our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ for the
incomprehensible mission He accomplished through His life, death, burial, and
resurrection … for His Holy Spirit whom He has sent to and with which He
has sealed each one of us who have accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior (Acts 1:8,
Eph 1:13).
I am humbled to know that some of you reading this offering are acutely
aware of the kind of service and sacrifice of which I admit to being inexcusably ignorant. I find myself wondering how your service experience affects
your view of Jesus and His sacrifice. I invite you to add a comment to this post sharing your thoughts, and I thank you for fighting for my freedom.
Related Bible verses (more important than any thoughts or devotion I could offer):
Gen 3:15; Luke
4:16-19; John 8:36, 17:18-20; 2 Tim 2:3-4; Heb 9:14
