Word of the Week - Memorial Day - Remember
“This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:12-13
Greetings from Rwanda, Africa! My daughter Bella and I are in Rwanda and spent yesterday morning trekking Silver Back Gorillas in the Verunga Mountains of Northern Rwanda, see pics attached. It is quite a unique experience that was special to share with my 20-year old daughter Bella. Bella and I first visited Rwanda together 10 years ago and at the time she was too young to do the Gorilla Trek. She is now back with me on her 3rd trip to Rwanda and has made plans to stay here and serve in a missional internship this summer with Bridge2Rwanda, a ministry I have served on the board of for over a decade. Rwanda is an amazing country with a miraculous redemption story https://compassionrwanda.com/after-genocide-an-astonishing-story-of-forgiveness-and-redemption/.
Bella and I visited the Kigali Genocide Memorial on Friday, and it was a staunch reminder of the fragility of life and the amazing sacrifice that so many people have made. It was also a clear reminder of the importance of “Remembering” what happened to honor all the people that lost their lives and to do our very best to ensure that these terrible tragedies don’t repeat themselves.
This Memorial Day weekend, we are prompted to remember something that can be hard to comprehend: the ultimate act of love—laying down one’s life for others. This is the sacrifice of our fallen service men and women who paid the ultimate price for our freedom. I've heard conflicting views on this over the years, but I believe it’s important not to see these brave souls as mere victims. Each fallen soldier has a unique story, but every one of them is a hero who gave their life for a greater cause.
Our struggle to understand this comes from how we view sacrifice, especially one that seems so final and without an obvious reward. In a world focused on gaining and achieving, the idea of giving up everything—even for people you may not know—is hard to grasp. That’s why remembering the fallen soldier can feel uncomfortable. Yet, it’s essential. This is the only way we stay willing to do what’s needed to protect our freedom. May we never forget!
On this Memorial Day, we remember the 1.2 million men and women who gave their lives for our country. It’s a sobering reminder of freedom’s price and how fortunate we are to live in the “land of the free” because of their sacrifice. I’m deeply humbled and grateful for this reality. Click the link to watch a short 5-minute video, "Path of the Warrior" as a tribute to their memory.
In a similar way, I’m even more grateful for God’s ultimate act of love: coming to earth as Jesus, our Messiah, and dying for our sins so we can have eternal freedom. “For it is for Freedom that Christ set us free” (Galatians 5:1). “You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love” (Galatians 5:13). Let us remember what God has done for us through the Cross. May His sacrifice motivate us to love and serve others. Lord, help us never forget the price of our freedom as Americans, and even more so, the price You paid for our eternal freedom. May we fully receive Your love and sacrifice.
Jesus our Messiah who Died to give us Life and Freedom both now and for Eternity, the ultimate Sacrifice.