John 15:13

John 15:13, "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends."

Memorial Day. A time for remembering. A time for being extremely grateful to those fine young men and women who have given their lives in order for us to enjoy freedom from oppression, freedom from slavery to dictators. We owe to many others the privileges we enjoy day by day.

As we remember and appreciate and celebrate our physical freedom, we might be reminded of our spiritual freedom as well. It was also purchased at the price of death, a painful and humiliating death on a Roman cross. There Jesus purchased our spiritual freedom from the oppression of sin, freedom from slavery to our natural lusts and inclinations. He has opened for us the privileges of prayer, of being empowered by the Holy Spirit, of God's presence with us always, and of an eternal future in a beautiful place which has been designed especially for the pleasure of our fellowship with God forever. May we also remember and appreciate and celebrate our spiritual freedom and those who have taught us about it this Memorial Day.