Daily Devotional for November 11, 2018
Sacrifice for Freedom
Navin winced as three gunshots tore through the air, piercing his eardrums one after another. He held back a sob as soldiers took the flag from his sister’s coffin and folded it tightly into a triangle. They presented it to Dad, who took it and gingerly placed it on his lap. Navin stared at the coffin, trying to understand how Diya’s body, which had always been overflowing with life, could fit into something so small.
After the funeral, Navin brushed away tears as he and his parents walked to their car. “I can’t believe Diya is gone,” he said. “How could God let this happen?”
Mom sniffed and took his hand. “I don’t know. At times like this, all we can do is trust Him and remember that He is with us, even though we don’t understand.”
Navin was quiet on the drive home. He watched the endless string of people outside the window—people eating in restaurants, shopping for flowers, playing in the park. Finally, he’d had enough.
“It’s not fair!” he said. “Diya died in service of her country, but no one seems to care. They just keep going on with their normal lives like nothing ever happened.”
Dad turned his misty eyes toward the rearview mirror. “I know it’s hard to see people living normally on a day like this, but you can’t blame them. They didn’t know Diya, and they don’t know she’s dead.”
Navin felt a surge of tears well up in his eyes. “Well, they should. She died protecting them!”
Mom turned around to look at him. “Many people have given their lives for our freedom and protection, and we probably never gave it much thought before. After losing Diya, we’ll appreciate their sacrifice much more now.”
“And even if other people don’t know or care about Diya’s sacrifice, God does,” added Dad. “He sacrificed His own Son for our freedom. Because Jesus died to free us from sin, we know He is with us in our grief. Best of all, we know that Diya is with Him now, and that one day we’ll see her again.”
Mom nodded. “We’ll always remember Diya and the sacrifice she made for our country. Maybe her story can help more people know about Jesus and the sacrifice He made for us.” – Courtney Lasater
How about you?
Do you know someone who has made sacrifices so others could have freedom and protection? Perhaps that person even lost their life in service of others. Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice when He died to free us from sin. Because of His sacrifice, we know He is always with us and will one day make all things right. Trust Him to make you free. (To learn more, click the “Good News!” button in the right column of this page.)
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