I am not one of those folks who can run around saying "Happy Memorial Day." Why? Because it's equivalent to running around on the anniversary of my Great Grandmother's funeral saying "Happy Funeral Day!" Memorial Day is very personal for us, we have those friends who gave the ultimate sacrifice; they died upholding of the oath they took. It is our job to uphold their legacy, ensure none of them are forgotten, and celebrate a life well lived. So yes, we will BBQ today; even in the rain. We will eat, drink tea, and be merry with friends because if our comrades were still alive, they would be here too! We will tell stories of the old days and remember the shenanigans of years gone by. In our hearts, these men and women will live on until we take our last breath and meet them in glory!
Yes, my #lampandlight study should be moving into Galatians, but in honor of true heroes, we're going to focus on my husband's favorite verse.
John 15:13 - Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
In John 15, Jesus was talking with his disciples about loving each other the way he loved them. That included being willing to die for the sins of every human who ever lived. Why is this significant to many who have served? On the surface, it's pretty simple. To die in place of another is a demonstration of love beyond what most of us will ever know. It's also incredibly honorable. Jesus threw himself on a grenade (God's wrath) to save sinners. Much in the same way, many men and women have willingly stepped into harms way to protect their brothers and sisters in arms. Not just during the conflicts my husband has been a part of, but every conflict in the history of the world and every corner of the world.
Now, that is just one meaningful verse out of an incredibly meaningful chapter. If you read all of John 15 (which you know I'm going to tell you to do) Jesus begins by giving the disciples and illustration about grape vines. The most concise way to explain it is Jesus tells them he is the grape vine and we are the grapes. God the Father is the "vinedresser" or what we might simply call a gardener. God is pruning away the bad fruit so the vine will produce more good fruit. I like John 15 because it's a reminder that if we are genuinely chasing after Christ, we are going to be pruned. Areas of our lives that do not bear good fruit are going to be pinched off. That area will heal and then produce better fruit then it ever had before!
Then we get into the section that contains verse 13, were Jesus reiterates that the greatest commandments are to love (God and one another specifically Matthew 22:36-40). Jesus also explains to the disciples why are not servants but friends. Jesus has chosen them to go and bear fruit for him.
I hope that my life bears that kind of fruit. I pray that my life is lived in a way that honors the legacy of the men and women who demonstrated the greatest kind of love, a shadow of my Savior's love for all of us.
Live big today, for each person who wishes for just one more day.
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Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests to made known to God. — Philippians 4:6