In the United States, on the day this is being published, it is Memorial Day. It’s a day to remember the brave soldiers who have given their lives so those in this Country can live in freedom. Thanks to their sacrifice, we are free to worship as we choose, free to speak our minds, and free to do with our lives what we will. We can debate the travesty of violence and the suspect definition of a “just war” another time.
For today, all those living in freedom would be well-served to thank a veteran and remember those who have passed away. With that said, none of this means anything if not for the ultimate sacrifice paid by one man over two thousand years ago.
The people Americans remember today gave their lives to protect our freedom. Jesus died to give us freedom. True freedom is found nowhere but in Jesus. No matter what Country we live in, or what man-made laws we must obey, the freedom of Jesus transcends all nations and all people. We are free in Jesus regardless of earthly restrictions and constraints. No one other than Jesus needed to die for this to be true. The problem is we’ve come to associate freedom with what another human being tells us we can and cannot do.
True freedom means we are no longer slaves to sin. We don’t have to bow to the enemy or resign ourselves to live under his distorted and broken vision for ourselves and our world. The freedom given by Jesus replaces our hopeless and futile destiny with one rich in hope and meaning. Without the freedom found in Christ, there would be no purpose in living. As followers of Jesus, when we die, we trade our broken and weary lives for an eternity of living and working side by side with Christ.
One cannot understand true love without the freedom given by Jesus. You may think you know love, but the only truly unconditional love this world has ever known, was the love of Christ for us. Our love is often characterized by selfishness, dual motives, and a plethora of conditions. Even the purest of earthly love pales in comparison to the love of Jesus for His creation. We are bound by the rules and laws of our physical and fallen world. Jesus is constrained by none of these boundaries and offers us the same freedom and love.
Memorial Day is a time to reflect, remember, and be grateful. Why not spend it thinking of Christ and the amazing sacrifice He made on your behalf? I mean no disrespect to our veterans. I am thankful beyond words for the man-made freedoms I’ve been allowed to live under my entire life. But this freedom is fleeting. It is artificial and becoming more frail by the day. The freedom Jesus offers is eternal and cannot be broken. What Jesus has freed can never be enslaved again (John 8:36). On this Memorial Day, reflect on what Jesus has done for you. Thank Him for the freedom only His sacrifice could have provided for you. Remember Him and worship His eternal greatness.