Another Blessing of Memorial Day

We think of Memorial Day and thank God for the men and women who gave their lives for freedom.  So often we think of our own freedom, and give thanks that we can worship God freely, pray how we want, read what we want, speak our minds, write what we believe, and play with our families in peace.  And, of course, these are all things the fallen soldiers of our armed services have died for over the last 200-plus years.

Yet, I believe that the fallen soldiers of our country's history have paid the ultimate sacrifice for more than just those things, for more than just temporal enjoyment or earthly freedom.  I firmly believe their complete and irrevocable sacrifice has an eternal impact.  More than granting our own citizens freedom, their sacrifice has made it possible for millions upon millions of people to yearn for life in America and then come to America. And with their coming, those people, who may never have heard the good news otherwise, have learned the good news:  Eternal life with Christ Jesus.  All of this has been made possible because of the great price paid by our fallen men and women of the armed services.

All the wars, all the men and women lost...

The Revolutionary War

The War of 1812

The Mexican-American War

The Civil War

The Spanish-American War

World War I

World War II

The Korean War

The Vietnam War

The Gulf War

The War on Terror... 

and many other wars and conflicts

By God's grace, the sacrificed lives of those men and women have, if nothing else, made a way to bring lost souls to the hope, power, truth, love, and peace of Jesus Christ.  Their sacrifice has not been in vain.  May we continue to make their sacrifice count.