On the last Monday of May, as our nation pauses to observe Memorial Day, we join millions of Americans in honoring the brave men and women who gave their lives in military service. It is a solemn reminder that freedom often comes at a great cost—and as Christians, we recognize the deep spiritual truths reflected in such sacrifice.
The Bible says in John 15:13,
“Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”
On Memorial Day, we reflect on those who lived out this principle, choosing service above self, even unto death.
Their sacrifice echoes the love Christ showed on the cross—a selfless gift that offers eternal freedom to all who believe.
As Seventh-day Adventists, we are called to be people of peace, yet we also value courage, duty, and the responsibility to care for others, even in times of conflict. While we long for the day when “nation shall not lift up sword against nation” (Isaiah 2:4), we respect and honor those who, in the face of evil, chose to stand for justice and protect the vulnerable.
Memorial Day also invites us to look forward. We live in a broken world filled with violence, division, and sorrow, but we have hope. Jesus has promised to return and bring peace that will never end. Revelation 21:4 tells us,
“He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain.”
On that day, war will cease forever, and our loved ones who died in Christ will rise again.
Until then, may this day not only honor the fallen but also awaken in us a deeper commitment to live lives of service, humility, and love. May we comfort those who mourn, support veterans and their families, and be peacemakers in our homes and communities.
We remember. We honor. And we place our hope in the soon return of our Savior, Jesus Christ.
