I wonder if I have enough to write on this Memorial Day, enough creative words to honor this special holiday when we memorialize and salute those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for us and our country. Since I don’t have any family member who died in miliary service, it seems inappropriate for me to use this blog space for Memorial Day. But I write because of its importance.
I start with Scripture “There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (John 15:13, NLT). This, of course, applies directly to the sacrifice Jesus made for us all, as He gave His life that we may have eternal life. It also applies, without question, to any person who sacrifices his or her life for another. It’s the ultimate sacrifice. In the film Saints and Soldiers a closing scene showed a young soldier/missionary die from enemy fire so that two of his buddies might reach the miliary station where an English soldier gave his translation of a coded crucial message with the potential to save many.
Memorial Day is not about all soldiers, and any miliary person will agree. Many have survived the wars and with traumatic injuries to their limbs and minds. Sacrifice, yes, but they still have life, even though with wounds. And we are grateful for their sacrificial service. This day is to remember those who died in battle, and to honor their families. It’s for those who came back in coffins and those whose bodies could not be transported home or could not even be found.
I close with a link to this Memorial Day tribute made by President Ronald Reagan:
Ann Coker 