Honoring Our Soldiers for Christ

We are forever indebted to those who have given their lives that we might be free.” ~Ronald Reagan

I thought maybe I would have an amazing story from somewhere in my military wife life that I could tell that would exemplify what these words from Ronald Reagan mean to me.  The truth is, I couldn’t think of one.  My mind kept going back to Jesus and his sacrifice on the cross for each one of us, but I would be remiss to gloss over the sacrifice of the people who have given their lives in sacrifice for our country, for our freedom.  Their lives were important.  What I end up coming back to is that, although my husband serves our country in the military, and my kids and I share in that life of service with him, we do not feel we are owed anything.  I am fairly certain most other military members and their families would say the same.  So if it is not a “debt” that we “owe” to those who have given their lives, then what is it? And why do we owe such a “debt?”  What did they give us?

Honor, love, and gratitude.  These are the things we give back to the people who have given their lives in sacrifice for us, personally or for our country.  They gave us our freedom, the opportunity to live in a place where we can be our individual selves, using our God-given gifts and talents to make our communities, our cities, our country, and the world a better place.

There were real men and women, long ago, who were involved in the process of America becoming a free nation.  Revolutionaries, desiring a new way of freedom, a new way of life.  Some of those revolutionaries live on in our memories because we see them every day.  George Washington and Ben Franklin have their pictures on money and their names in textbooks, but there are countless others whose names have been long forgotten because they played more humble roles in the bigger story of our country.  Their sacrifices meant no less than someone with a well-known name.

We honor them by remembering what America stands for and why she has become a great nation.  We honor them by continuing our attempts to give freedom and opportunity to every person, both inside and outside of America’s borders.

Like the American soldier, Jesus gave his life as a sacrifice for our freedom from sin and our adoption into his righteousness.  His ideas about what our world should look like were revolutionary for his time.  And his way of achieving this newfound freedom was certainly extraordinary.  People expected a powerful Messiah, riding in on a white horse and straightening everything out by his authority.  Instead, his authority looked like death on a cross, his love for each of us displayed through the sacrifice of his own life.  His most “revolutionary” ideas?  That we love him first and each other next.

Honor, love, and gratitude.  These are the things we should also give back to Jesus.  How?  By using those gifts and talents I mentioned above to take care of each other and lift each other up.

As we celebrate America’s birth, we remember and celebrate the freedom we have as citizens of this great nation.  As we think about Jesus, we can celebrate the freedom we have from sin and love one another as citizens of his kingdom.

Lord, I ask that you help us to celebrate the freedoms we have as citizens of America, but even more so, the freedoms we have as your children.  Help us to honor, love, and live with gratitude for the people who have sacrificed their lives so that we can be free. Amen.

 Scripture for Reflection

“You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.” (Romans 6:18 NIV)

“You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free.  But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather serve one another humbly in love.” (Galatians 5:13 NIV)

 Reach for More

Let us reflect on the freedoms we have both as Americans and in Christ. In what ways have we honored our country and the people who have died in her service? Is there some way we can show a revolutionary kind of love to someone in service of our country, whether their service be current or in the past? [Tweet “Is there some way we can love or serve someone who does not enjoy the freedom we have as Americans?”]

This week, let’s make an extra effort to love on the men and women that have so bravely fought to protect our freedoms. Write a soldier or veteran and thank them for their service. Visit a veteran’s hospital with your family, and hear their stories. Start praying for all the soldiers, past and present, each night. Or be creative and ask your family how they would best like to honor our service members.

There are countless ways to honor the men and women who sacrifice their lives each day for us. Let’s be brave enough to find a way to love them well.

Please, come back and leave a comment telling us about how God spoke to you this week, or share your progress on social media using the hashtag #tgtreachformore. We would love to hear from you.

Carla Clemens enjoys a crazy, beautiful life with her military husband and four sons. A baby and toddler interrupt her homeschool days in the best ways, and she is always attempting to live with mindfulness of each moment. She hopes to look at the world and each person in it in light of our amazing Creator and therefore, to see each moment presented as an opportunity to love and serve him more. Carla relishes time to ponder God’s Word and have quiet moments with him and her coffee. She loves doing life with other mamas and encouraging them to simply be who God has made them to be.