House of Hope Online

May 25, 2025

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Tomorrow is Memorial Day in the United States, a day we as a nation set aside to honor those who have died in service to our country.  Men and women who gave their lives for a greater purpose deserve our honor.  These are people who humbled themselves, put their lives on hold, left their loved ones behind, and defended the ideals of a nation built on freedom.

Jesus once said: “Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends…” (John 15:13).

Of course, He was describing His love for us because He was willing to sacrifice His life for our eternal salvation.  The service men and women we honor this weekend share that Christ-like characteristic in that they were willing to lay down their lives for others.  Jesus said there simply is no greater love than this.

This holiday means a lot to me.  In the early 1970s, when I was a freshman and sophomore in college, the U.S. had instituted a military draft lottery system during the Vietnam war.  The previous system was completely volunteer, but during the war, due to increased casualties, the services were struggling to recruit enough people.  Each birthday was given a random number, and the lottery would draft the lowest numbers assigned first.  If you were drafted, you had to serve, with few exceptions.

I remember the day the lottery numbers were assigned.  My friends and I were anxious about learning what our numbers were.  Guys in our dormitory were throwing up upon learning they had very low numbers.  We had just started on our college journey, and really did not want to sacrifice our futures for a controversial war.

My number was in the 280s, which was considered safe – very unlikely to be drafted.  Fortunately, I did not have to go to war, but today I understand fully the sacrifice made by those we honor this weekend.

Many people today feel unloved, forgotten about, unimportant.  But all of us should know that we were loved, in a way, by those who made the ultimate sacrifice.  Our lives were worth it to them.  They loved us because they laid down their lives for us.

I encourage you to spend some time this weekend in prayer, thanking the Lord for those we are honoring.  Thank God for Jesus’ sacrifice and love.  And thank Jesus for being willing to lay down His life, not only for our freedom in this life but also for our eternal escape from wrath and damnation.

And thank Him for coming again for us soon!

Let us pray.

Father God, we give You all honor and glory this Memorial Day weekend, as we celebrate and honor those who, like Jesus, expressed their love for us by giving their lives for our nation.  Help us to remember their sacrifice as a symbol of what Jesus did for us – there is no greater love than this – that one lay down his life for his friends.  We pray for the families who lost these men and women, as they continue to carry the burden of that sacrifice.  Jesus, we pray those who mourn would be comforted by the Holy Spirit.  Lift their grief, O Lord, and help them to know our nation owes them a debt of gratitude.  In Your name, we pray.  Amen.