In Memorial

Memorial Day is the day American's set aside their work to remember and honor those who have given their lives so that we might enjoy our freedom. I am deeply indebted to all the men and women that have served, do serve and will serve this country to maintain that freedom. But there is one freedom that no man can give you. Unless He is more than a man.

In John 15:13 Jesus said: Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. He was speaking in advance of His love for all men regardless of geography or time and what He would ultimately do for us. Whether or not you perceive Him, He is extending His nail pierced hand in friendship towards you even today.

Paul the apostle said in Romans 5:7-8: "Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

That is what I remember most on Memorial Day...that Jesus died to set me free from my sin and this body of death and to provide the way to eternal life with Him in Heaven when this one is over. Some might say that I am forcing my beliefs into the Holiday, but then they don't know my story...even if you don't, it still applies.

Ten years ago, on Memorial Day Weekend, I accepted Christ's death as payment for my sins and became a Christian. I was in the midst of a battle to save a failing marriage and I was reading a book that reminded me of the Gospel message shared with me a month before. In a nutshell it said that before the author could save his marriage, he had to get right with God. As if led by an invisible force, God took me to the epicenter of my pain and showed me the truth of just how far my marriage had fallen. It was in that moment, sitting on my knees surrounded by the rubble of the life I'd built on my own that I gave my heart wholly to Jesus Christ. I ended my prayer with: "Lord, this is my life without you and it is a real mess. I want to see what you can do."

Can I tell you how WONDERFULLY He has answered that prayer. My life is but a shadow of what it used to be and it is glorious...if only just to me. And I've seen Him do the same in so many other lives. He makes beauty out of the ashes of our best efforts at success on our own. He has brought such joy to my life through people, places and experiences; but mostly, through the knowledge of Him through His Word. This is why I'm always writing about Him.

The Gospel message I responded to was presented to me by a Police Chaplain through a simple Bible tract. He walked me through what is called the Romans Road to salvation. It is a list of verses from the book of Romans that clearly shows us how we can be "saved" by giving our lives to Christ through a simple prayer. Here is the road if you'd like to follow it for the first time, visit it again or just simply thank God for such a simply profound and profoundly simple "one way" message to reconciliation with Him.

Romans 5:8 "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

Romans 3:23 "For all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God."

Romans 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Romans 10:9, "...if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that
God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."

Romans 10:13, "for everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."

Romans 8:1 "...there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus."

Romans 5:1, "Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ."

At this point most Gospel tracts would provide you with a prayer you can pray out loud to enter into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. While tracts are helpful, God isn't in to scripts. He is into sincerity. If you have something to say to Him and you are ready to acknowledge His sovereignty in your life and what Christ did for you on the cross, then tell Him in your own words. He'll meet you where you're at, fill you with His Holy Spirit and equip you for a life of freedom from the bondage of sin. It doesn't mean you'll be perfect, but you'll be perfectly forgiven. And in forgiveness there is much freedom!

I long for a day when there is no more need for military presence anywhere and when all men can live in peace. That day will come, but only when Jesus returns to Earth to rule and reign. Until then, I thank the men and women who protect my right to freedom and I honor my God who gives them the power to do so. And I will never forget the price Jesus paid for my sins.