A Life Worth Honoring

A week ago, we as a country celebrated Memorial Day. Again, I’ll be honest with you. I come from California and we talk a little about honoring fallen soldiers but we don’t really do that. It took coming here to Lititz to realize that Memorial Day in Southern California is mostly about marking the beginning of the water sports season and usually involves a long weekend at the Colorado River. But this year, my second Memorial Day in Lancaster County found me reflecting deeply about the men and women, both military and civilian, who have given their very lives for something much bigger.

Some are probably wondering why this post didn’t come up on Memorial Day. Frankly, it’s because I intend to mess with that holiday just a little bit and I believed it would be disrespectful to do that on that day. But here, one week later, I want to muse about a day set aside to honor Service.

Because, isn’t that what Memorial Day is really about when you strip away the very specific instances of heroism and sacrifice? Isn’t your life your most precious possession? I don’t mean your “life” in the worldly sense, limited to your days from birth to death. Rather, I mean the biblical view of your life, your entire being, who you are. In fact, Scripture teaches us that the actions of our earthly life reveal the condition of our soul. So, the one who pours him- or herself out for a bigger cause is demonstrating the values and priorities of that person.

This is incredibly relevant to the materials that we are going through right now in our groups. We are learning how God has uniquely prepared each of us to fit together and to serve together to further His Kingdom purposes. Also, by committing to follow Christ’s model of Service, we grow to be more like Him and to walk more intimately with Him.

The life worth honoring is the one poured out in service to the Lord. In Romans, Paul devotes 11 chapters to laying out his Soteriology (Doctrine of Salvation). Then he starts Chapter 12 by saying:

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God-- this is your spiritual act of worship. Romans 12:1

And Hebrews 11 is a list of notable Old Testament saints who gave their entire life over to following God’s unfurling plan. These are the types of Christian lives that should be honored and celebrated. Do you want to know how you can finish the race well? Do you want to know how to live without regrets? Do you want to end your days knowing that you were part of something bigger than yourself, something that will last? Are you looking for something worth dying for?

Then find out who God created you to be and throw every bit of yourself, your very life at it.

After all, that’s why He gave it to you.

Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. 1 Peter 4:10