Remembering

Dear friends,

After taking a few days off last week for a "mini-vacation", we spent several days dealing with an early summer cold. We hope it was the last one for this year. The Lord has blessed us with some much needed rain in the last week. Our gauge here in Ericson recorded nearly an inch last evening and into the night.

Today is Memorial Day here in the U.S. It is a day set aside to stop and pay our respects to those who have served in our country's armed forces. As we pause today to remember those who have given their lives to defend our freedom, let us remember also, the One who died to free us from the bondage of sin.

Jesus said, "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends" (John 15:13). He said these words just hours before he was to die on the cross. I believe this kind of love can also apply to love of country and of one's fellow man, as evidenced by the willingness of many in uniform to give their lives for their country and for their comrades in arms.

Jesus took this to the extreme when he chose to die, not only for his friends, but for his enemies. In Romans we read: "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8). Reading on, we find that when Christ died for us, we were God's enemies (verse 10). But his death reconciled us to God. By placing our faith in the finished work of Jesus on the cross, we become children of God (John 1:12).

We thank God for all those who have served our country, and especially those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom. And even more, we give thanks and praise to our Lord Jesus Christ, who died so that we might live.

Remembering,

Pastor Jerry