Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends.
- John 15:13
Love.
The Bible, from cover to cover, is about God’s love and His proclamation of this love through the finished work of His Son, Jesus Christ. This verse is the epitome of love, in that, Christ calls us his friends and willingly lays down his life for us.
As a military spouse, this verse penetrates my heart in a multitude of ways. To start, it brings me back to my own salvation. God, in His great love, has given His only begotten Son for the forgiveness of sins and to restore us back to God. We have been freely gifted the good news of Christ.
This is the gospel.
As I ponder what this verse means to me as the wife of a service member, thoughts of sacrifice are ushered into my mind, the sacrifice made by Christ and the sacrifice made by our service members. This verse is a beautiful picture of the gospel and of the bravery shown by military members who give their lives so that others may live.
Today, as we meditate on what Jesus has done for us in his sacrificial death and powerful resurrection, let us also pause to remember what our military members have done for us, and do for us each and every day. Their willing sacrifice should lead our hearts to gratitude and reflection on the greater sacrifice of Jesus.
How can you reflect gospel sacrifice in your daily life?
Megan Brown is a military missionary, Bible teacher, and freelance writer. She and her husband view the active duty military lifestyle as an opportunity to live perpetually on mission. They build faith communities, plant churches, and encourage the local church to aid in their work. Megan is also the Communications Coach for IF: Military, a new ministry arm of IF: Gathering. To learn more or connect with Megan, visit meganbbrown.com.
