(Memorial Day was celebrated this past Monday, the last Monday in May, in the United States)
My mind turns to Memorial Day, because the older I get, the more I value those who have been willing to live less so that I could live more.
It has been said to me that Veterans Day celebrates the heroes who came home. Memorial Day celebrates the heroes who didn’t come home.
In essence, all these heroes took one thing and only one thing into battle, namely, a willingness to die for their country, coupled with the belief that earthly freedom was worth the price.In today’s Bible verse, Jesus sends out the disciples and basically tells them to take one thing and only one thing into their mission field, namely, a willingness to die for the kingdom of God, coupled with the belief that spiritual freedom was worth the price.
Do you see the parallels?
You could say that there’s at least an implicit charge here from Jesus to us, Jesus sends us out as disciples and basically tells us to take one thing and only one thing on our trip, namely, a willingness to die to self for the kingdom of God, coupled with the belief that spiritual freedom is worth the price. This dying to self will happen when we use time with family and friends to remember, speak of, and celebrate both those who have died for our freedoms and how those sacrifices have blessed our lives.
Many military personnel have died for our earthly freedoms. Many a missionary and Jesus Christ himself, most of all, died for our spiritual freedoms. Let us be found using our time to remember, speak of, and celebrate both those who have died for our freedoms and how those sacrifices have blessed our lives.
Praise God!
Pastor Chris
For several months this year, we will be featuring some of our friends, and Destiny Center Authors, as guest bloggers. Today’s blog about Memorial day, is from Pastor Chris DeGreene. To read other wonderful devotionals from Pastor Chris, you can purchase his book, “60 Days of Praise! Devotional” on the DestinyCenter.com website.
Pastor Chris has a large faithful following of his daily devotional “Day of Praise.” You can join the “Day of Praise” family each day by reading a daily devotional from his book “60 Days of Praise! Devotional”. 60 Days of Praise! Devotional book is a collection of two months of wonderful, inspiring, thoughtful, and often humorous, devotions selected from Pastor Chris’s writings. You can start your day off right each morning, with a new daily devotional from 60 Days of Praise! Devotional. Be encouraged and challenged to grow in your walk with Jesus each day, as you read 60 Days of Praise! Devotional. Praise God!
You can get Pastor DeGreene’s book here: http://www.destinycenter.com/read/Devotionals-Journals?product_id=171
About the Author: Reverend Dr. Christopher DeGreen is Pastor of Christ the King Lutheran church in Birmingham, Alabama. He was born in Atlanta, caught tadpoles in Memphis, grew up in Kingsport, TN, walked on the football team at the University of TN, learned about Pastoring at the Lutheran Seminary in Philadelphia, was called to Christ the King Lutheran church in Birmingham, AL, got his D. Min. from Beeson Div School, saw his three amazing kids be born and grow, and was blown away by God’s grace when he married his Beloved Amanda.
Psalm 100 tells us the way to succeed each and every day as we live our lives for Jesus. Let’s take a look…
You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore. Psalm 16:11 ESV
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