Remembering with Intention

Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross covered a debt we could never pay. However, we have the daily privilege to do our best to honor His sacrifice. We honor Him as we follow His commands and allow His Word to transform our lives. In doing so, we become the representation of Jesus on earth as He works in and through us.

Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.

─ John 15:13 NIV

Remembering the soldiers and military personnel who gave their lives for their country is naturally a solemn moment. But once the somber moment has passed, we have the honor to represent those who died for their country. We represent, or present again, our loved ones to the world by our words, actions and deeds.

Remember the fallen this Memorial Day in active appreciation of freedom they died to defend.

We cannot simply remember. We must remember with intention. Jesus’ death was just the start of something greater. Through the empowerment of the Holy Spirit, His disciples were galvanized and the cross became a beacon of hope, not a symbol of torture. Jesus overcame the grave, yet He still asked that we remember His sacrifice (1 Corinthians 11:23-26, ESV).

The disciples lived to remember Jesus in every action and in every word spoken. They remembered Him in their commitment to His cause. May we also remember the fallen this Memorial Day in active appreciation of freedom they died to defend.

Today’s One Thing

If the fallen could stand beside you today –

• What would they say? 
• What would they ask? 
• Would they ask if their sacrifice mattered? 
• Would they ask if it made a difference in the world?
•  Would they ask if it made a difference in you? 
• Would they wonder if you live differently because of their absence?

If the answers are “Yes,” what evidence would you have to show? Surely celebrating a day off and attending a barbecue is not the best you can do. What will you do to show your appreciation to every family who had to reassemble their lives after seeing their future torn away?

Go Deeper

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