Memorial Day - The Price of Freedom

Today in the United States, we observe Memorial Day.  For many, Memorial Day is simply a day off from school/work, an opportunity to relax, bbq, and unofficially bring in the summer.  However, I think it's important for us to remember the real reason behind this very important holiday.  Memorial Day is an opportunity for us to remember all of those incredibly brave men and women who gave their lives defending our nation, who gave their lives defending our freedom.

We don't live in a perfect nation, but I think we can all agree that the freedom we enjoy here in the United States of America is a truly beautiful thing.  We are able to worship in the churches we choose, watch television which hasn't been government censored, marry the people we choose.  The United States is a land of opportunity, a land where we are free to pursue our American Dream, a land where anything is possible.  Let's make sure we don't forget those who gave their blood so that we could enjoy this land of freedom.

I think Memorial Day is also a great opportunity for us to remember that Jesus Christ also shed his blood so that we could enjoy a life of freedom.  Jesus didn't die so that we could enjoy freedom of speech or the right to a trial by jury...Jesus died so that we could be free to live in the love of God.  The blood that Jesus shed for us on the cross destroyed the power that sin and death have over us, preventing anything from separating us from the love of God.  We have been freed by the blood of Christ.

"To Him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, who has made us into a kingdom, priests for his God and Father, to Him be glory and power forever. Amen."

-Revelation 1:5-6