"Two Lives"

A long weekend when we have fun,

Picnics, laughter in the sun,

And all because of what they’ve done,

Their sacrifice was all.

Laid their lives down on the line,

Courageous boys who died so fine,

Remembering,  ‘cause they define,

Our nation’s highest call.

As Mr. Reagan one time said,

These were our boys who lay here dead,

They gave two lives, in truth light shed,

On what it really meant.

The life they gave was what they had,

But then the other life so sad,

The one ahead they’d never add,

Because their blood was spent.

They wouldn’t live to wed a wife,

Or birth a son and see his life,

Or have a grandchild, share advice,

Those years, too, were gone.

Gave up tomorrows in the fight,

For all our freedoms and the right,

To live in liberty’s sweet light,

The sacrifice is strong.

So we remember and we should,

Since all we value and is good,

Was bought by how that soldier stood,

And then he flew away.

In sad and hellish fights of fire,

Where the threat was fierce and dire,

The test great courage would require,

And thanks is what we say,

Yes, thanks is what we say.

“Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13, NAS)

If Jesus said it, it is true, and there is great truth in this statement. Someone has pointed out that Jesus died on the cross for our sins, and the American soldier died on the battlefield for our freedom. The sacrifice of love is hard to measure, but we should try. We should live for Jesus since He died and was raised for us. And we should thankfully remember all those who gave their lives defending our liberty. God help us to do both.

Lord, help us to celebrate Your great sacrifice and honor those who died serving our county, in Jesus’ name.

Art by Bruce Greene, used by permission. Thanks, Bruce, and God bless you.