“Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:13
Today we stop to say THANK YOU to the American Veterans’ and their families who were willing to serve our country. I’m so humbled that these men and women would volunteer and have the desire to fight for our freedom and security. I am always amazed how these soldiers choose to face their fears and fight the enemy for us. Their courage is so inspiring to me. How about you?
I’m married to an incredible man of God who loves to read, tour and visit historical places not only in America but also across the world. This past March my husband John and I spent a week visiting historical places in the Virginia/Washington, D.C. area. We visited Norfolk, Fort Monroe, Yorktowne, Jamestown, Mount Vernon, Arlington Cemetery, Monticello, The WWII Memorial, The Vietnam War Memorial, and the Lincoln Memorial. Every stop was filled with pause for thanksgiving and humble gratitude in our hearts. The sacrifice these veterans have given for us to live a full and free life here in America is overwhelming.
While at the Arlington Cemetery we stood and observed silently, the Guard on watch at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The Tomb contains the remains of unidentified American soldiers from WWI and WWII, the Korean Conflict, and the Vietnam War. It represents the missing and unknown service members who died for our freedom. The Tomb has been continuously guarded, twenty-four hours a day, 365 days a year since 1937. The requirements to be a Tomb Guard exemplifies how honored and respected these soldiers and all soldiers are. You can read it for yourself at http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-vetscor/1126293/posts.
The inscription on the Tomb of The Unknown Soldier is powerful.
HERE RESTS IN HONORED GLORY AN AMERICAN SOLDIER KNOWN BUT TO GOD
What a great reminder to the brave American families that God knows each and every soldier. God knows exactly where they are and He is in control. Luke 12:7 “the very hairs on your head are numbered.”
Dear Lord,
Thank you for your Word that continues to remind us that You know each one of us. You created every human being. Thank you for dying on the cross for me so that I may have eternal life with you in heaven. Now I ask that you would bless the men and women serving our country right now and the brave families of those serving and those who has died to maintain our freedoms. Bless them with Your peace that only heaven can give. Amen!
I’m ending this post today with a wonderful soldier example that demonstrates God’s love for us. I found this in a book I highly recommend by Henry Blackaby titled Experiencing God.
God loves you deeply and profoundly. Therefore, He has given you guidelines for living, lest you miss the full dimensions of the love relationship He seeks to have with you. Life has some “land mines” that could harm or destroy you. God does not want you to miss out on His best, and He does not want your life to be destroyed through foolish choices.
Suppose you were in a war-torn country, and you had to cross a field full of land mines. If a local soldier knew exactly where every one of them was buried and offered to take you through the field, would you protest and say, “I don’t want you to tell me what to do. I want to be free to make my own choices”? I don’t know about you, but I would stay as close to that soldier as I could. I certainly would not go wandering off. His directions to me would not restrict me; they would preserve my life. As we walked together he would say, “Don’t go that way, because that path will kill you. Go this way and live.”
God wants to protect and lead you toward His blessings but the choice is up to you. I’m praying for you to make the choice to follow Jesus 24/7 and live the abundant life talked about in John 10:10.
