Service and Sacrifice

There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. John 15:13

Devotion

“A veteran is someone who wrote a blank check made payable to the United States of America for an amount up to and including their life.” This is my favorite description of the heroes who served our country so well. John 15:13 says, “There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” This is the epitome of a military service member. They fight battles in many different ways, both at home and overseas, for the betterment of their families, their communities, and their country.

Two words our military members know very well are service and sacrifice. They sign up to serve their country and their fellow Americans. They sacrifice family time while on deployment, they sacrifice civilian opportunities for duty, and they even sacrifice their lives during war. Jesus is the perfect model of what service and sacrifice are supposed to look like, and we should strive to emulate both Christ’s and our military veterans’ examples.

Jesus calls each of us to serve as soldiers of the cross just like the old hymn describes. In Mark 10:45, Jesus states, “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Throughout the Bible, Jesus demonstrated that we do not have to be afraid or ashamed of the gospel, simply that we need to put on the full Armor of God and stand up for what is right. Actions speak louder than words, and our service to the cause of Christ speaks volumes to those around us. Helping the widow and the orphan, feeding the hungry, clothing the homeless, and praying for the prisoner are some very tangible ways we can serve those in our communities.

Sacrifice is another action that we can exhibit for the cause of Christ. Like veterans who pay the ultimate price on the battlefield, Jesus paid the ultimate sacrifice on the cross to pay for our sins. While we may not be called to this type of sacrifice, we can sacrifice our own selfish desires for the betterment of those around us. Hebrews 13:16 says, “Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.” In Romans 12:1-2, the Apostle Paul also says, “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” Doing the right thing and living with integrity are ways we can sacrifice our own selfish desires to honor our Heavenly Father. We too can exhibit service and sacrifice in many different ways and bring glory to our Heavenly Father through our actions.

Heroes don’t always wear capes. Sometimes heroes wear dog tags around their necks. Jesus wore sandals on the streets of Nazareth. We too can be heroes by donning the full Armor of God and putting action to the commands written for us in the Bibles. We can serve one another and sacrifice daily to make the world around us a better place. In doing this, we bring glory to the Kingdom of God.

PRAYER

Thank you, Father, for heroes like our brave men and women who have served our country so well. Thank you, Jesus, for showing us what a hero should look like through your service to others and your sacrifice on the cross. Lord, please bless those who bless us. Please guide, guard, and direct our country, and keep our heroes safe. Thank you Father for the gift of freedom because of service and sacrifice. In Jesus' name we pray, amen.

Catherine Orozco-Christmas
Site & Security Coordinator

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