Our Bible verse for today: “No one has greater love than this: to lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:13 (CSB)
Our thought for today: “Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice”
Today is Memorial Day. It’s the day each year that we in the USA pause to honor those men and women in the Armed Forces who have given their lives in the defense of our nation. Unfortunately, Memorial Day is often confused with Veteran’s Day. Veteran’s Day is in November. It’s the designated day to pay special tribute to all those who have served in the Armed Forces. But Memorial Day is specifically for those who have made the ultimate sacrifice, those who have given their lives in the defense of our nation.
I encourage you to spend some time today thinking about those who have died so we can be free. Say a special prayer for the families and loved ones of those who have died, especially those who have died recently.
But as important and significant as the sacrifice made by members of our armed forces who have died for us is, it pales in comparison to the sacrifice Jesus made for us. Their death helped to protect our freedom in this lifetime. The death of Jesus sets us free from the penalty of sin forever. No greater sacrifice has ever been made than the death of Jesus on the cross for our sins.
In yesterday’s devotional message we began thinking about the love of God for us. I told you that I personally believe God’s love to be His greatest attribute. That being the case, the sacrifice that Jesus made for us is the greatest expression of God’s greatest attribute.
On this Memorial Day pause and be grateful for those who paid the ultimate price so we can be free from tyranny and oppression in this lifetime. Then praise God for the sacrifice of Jesus that has freed us for eternity. There never has been, and never will be, a greater sacrifice than the one Jesus made for you and for me, and it happened because God loves us so much.
Oak Hill Baptist Church