Freedom
Written by Michelle Smythers
As we celebrated Veteran's Day, we offer tributes to those who have served our country. We honor them for fighting for our freedom. We praise them for defending our country against terrorism. We give moments of silence to those that lost their lives so that we can live ours without fear. We want to show service men and women of every branch that we have respect for all they sacrifice for us.
Take a moment today to pray for all our service men and women. Pray for their safety as they are active duty. Don't forget their families that are home. Pray over peace of mind for spouses, children, parents and all extended family. This is a heavy burden to carry, and each person involved needs support and prayer from everyone. As we are praying for the ones on active duty, also remember the ones that have been injured. They may still be recovering or suffering from the mental stress of seeing the effects of war. If we have not been in their situation, we don't know the images, sounds, and smells that may be etched into their mind forever. It is so important that we as Christians stand in the gap for those who are laying their lives on the line so that we can continue to live in freedom.
Paul tells us in Galatians 6:2, Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. We are required to help our troops even if we can only offer our prayers for them and their families. By doing this, we show God's love in our lives.
Although the sacrifice of our troops cannot compare to the sacrifice that Jesus made for us, we can see similarities. Jesus was willing to lay down His life so that we could have freedom from sin, death, depression, sickness, and so much more. Daily our troops are willing to lay down their lives so that we can have freedom from terrorism, freedom to worship in a church of our choosing, freedom to speak as we feel (even though sometimes we should keep our mouths shut), and freedom to live a wonderful life. Through these men and women's sacrifice, their love for their country is shown. Jesus said in John 15:13, Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
As you go about your busy life, not only today but every day, take time to say a prayer for our troops and their families. If you get the opportunity, say thank you to a veteran or a current soldier. It is because of them that you are free.
Last Updated: November 4, 2025
