Daily Devotional by Hank Botts

John 10:10b “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” NKJV

I never used to like the term, “Memorial Day Celebration”.  “Happy Memorial Day” also doesn’t quite seem appropriate to me.  And don’t get me started on Memorial Day Sales!  After all, Memorial Day is supposed to be a solemn day of remembrance and a day set aside to honor those who gave their lives in defense of this country’s freedom.  The day should be marked with reverence, and their memories should be treated with the utmost respect. But, at the same time, it should be a day to celebrate life! 

In today’s passage of Scripture, we see that Jesus came and gave His life so that we might have life and have it more abundantly. Just as He sacrificed for our greater good, so also did those brave men and women who laid down their lives for all of us. It is my firm belief that they would not want us to go around being somber all day long as a way to remember their sacrifice.  On the contrary, I believe they would want us to enjoy our lives and the freedoms they so courageously defended.

So, while we most definitely should take the time to remember and honor those who have given so much, let us also take the time to celebrate the life and the freedom that we enjoy because of what they were willing to do. Spend time with those you love, do something sacrificially for someone in need, grill up a delicious meal, and even take advantage of those sales, if that is something you would enjoy.  But by all means, please take some time out to raise a toast in remembrance of and gratitude for those who paid that last full measure of devotion.  Pray that God would comfort their families as only He can. May God richly bless you on this Memorial Day as you honor our best and finest!

Love in Jesus,

Hank