Pandemic 2020 – Day 127. (As of May 24: 1,622,114 Cases/97,049 Deaths)
Today we celebrate Memorial Day, the holiday set aside to honor the men and women who serve and have served in the various branches of the nation’s military forces. The annual coming together for the memorial concert on the mall in the nation’s capital was cancelled. The pandemic still has the upper hand in this silent war of man vs virus, so such gatherings are prohibited. And though the physical aspects of the celebration were changed, the spirit of the memorial celebration remained. That spirit birthed a virtual concert complete with the usual bells and whistles, and enhanced with new touches making it even more memorable. For one and half hours, we were reminded of the bravery, courage and love of country by veterans who served in various wars. In acknowledgement of our current viral war, recognition and appreciation was also accorded those serving courageously and sacrificially on the front lines in hospitals and other venues; and those seeking to create the necessary weapons of vaccines and medications to fight COVID-19. The stories of heroism and sacrifice reminded us of how thankful we should be for these individuals and their service to us.
This morning as I engaged in my usual time of devotional reading and reflection, I came across this scripture: “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” (John 15:13) Jesus spoke those words to His disciples while they were still gathered in the upper room following their last supper together. He was preparing them for what was about to occur at Calvary with words He hoped would give them comfort. Following the statement above, Jesus added, “You are my friends if you do what I command…. I no longer call you servants,… instead, I have called you friends….” (John 15: 14-15) Those words weren’t just for the disciples as we well know; they are also His words to us today. We are Jesus’ friends when we do what He has commanded in His word. As an expression of friendship and its companion, love, He willingly died on a cross that we might be reconciled to God by that sacrificial death. Because He did what He did, today salvation is ours; if we keep the commandments recorded in God’s Holy Word. When you process Jesus’ actions, it’s a no-brainer to see Him as our Divine nascent war hero. Long before the conflicts of modern times and continuing today mankind has been engaged in a spiritual war. The stakes were and are as high as those fought for in secular ones. And in that battle raging in the spiritual realms, Jesus demonstrated the concept of bravely and courageously dying to save to save someone else; the concept of friendship and love in their fullest expressions.
As we commemorate those who in giving their lives insure the secular freedoms we cherish today, may we not forget the originator of sacrificial love -Jesus. By His death on a cross, we have more than secular freedoms, we have sacred and eternal freedom in Christ. May we all say, “Thank you, Jesus, for Your service then and now.”
Love. Joy. Peace.