Good morning, Lord Jesus. I speak out Your name and listen for the leading of Your Spirit, here in the embrace of my Father to begin my day in the intimacy of prayer.
“For who is going to harm you if you are devoted to what is good? But in fact, if you happen to suffer for doing what is right, you are blessed. But do not be terrified of them or be shaken. But set Christ apart as Lord in your hearts and always be ready to give an answer to anyone who asks about the hope you possess.” ! Peter 3:13-16
I believe these verses in today’s reading speak into Veterans. I also believe this verse does as well:
"No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends" (John 15:13).
This morning as usual, I read the chapter reading for today and reflected on it. I then went over my prayer list of things and people needing prayer. I prayed over my family, over our needs and thanked God for our blessings. This morning I also prayed over our veterans and those currently serving in our military and their families. When I have to travel and be gone for my work or conferences, I hate to leave my family for a day or week of business travel. It is hard to imagine the sacrifice of the men and women who serve in our military who are away from their families for months or years.
Today our nation honors the men and women who have been willing to leave their families and comforts of home to go fight and die for our freedom and the freedom and injustices in the world. We're thankful for their service. We're thankful for their sacrifice. We're thankful that they answered the call with courage and conviction to willingly lay down their lives for us. We owe them our respect and honor them with our gratitude -- "respect to whom respect is due, honor to whom honor is due" (Romans 13:7).
And as I honor them, I honor You Jesus. You set aside the glory of heaven to humble Yourself in the likeness of human flesh and blood to lay down Your life for me -- "even death on a cross" (Philippians 2:5-11). You are the Veteran of the greatest war ever fought -- the war between heaven and hell, between good and evil, between forgiveness and sin. The battle scars You bear are the jagged nail wounds upon Your hands and feet forever for us (John 20:27).
Through Your sacrifice of love -- a sacrifice we really can't even begin to fully grasp -- our world that was condemned to die will experience a new heaven and a new earth through the sufferings of Your cross and the glory of Your resurrection (John 3:16). "Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through Him" (John 3:17). We honor You and thank You. Thank You for Your service and Your sacrifice. "Thanks be to God who gives us the victory through Jesus Christ!" -- our Greatest Veteran! (1 Corinthians 15:57)
My family, I pray you will join me today in taking a few minutes to honor and pray for our veterans and their families as we set aside this day to remember them and give gratitude and respect. I pray you think of some simple act of kindness you can do today for a veteran. And I pray you will take time to thank our greatest veteran, Jesus Christ, in Jesus' name! Please pray the same of me. God bless you, my friends!
Please share your reflections and prayers in the comment box below.
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