"Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends."
John 15:13
Veterans Day always causes me to pause and reflect.
My father served twenty years in the United States Air Force. I was born on a military base, and although Dad eventually retired and brought our family to Florida, where we've now spent more than five decades, the military has always been part of my story.
Like many children of servicemen and women, I grew up knowing that somewhere, someone was standing watch.
Someone was spending holidays away from family. Someone was missing birthdays and anniversaries. Someone was working long hours on distant bases, aboard ships, or in places most of us would never see. They did it so the rest of us could enjoy ordinary days that we often take for granted.
Veterans Day reminds us that freedom carries a cost.
Not every veteran served in combat. Not every service member became a household name or earned medals that history remembers. Yet each one answered a call greater than personal comfort. They accepted duties that demanded sacrifice, discipline, and commitment.
As Christians, we recognize something familiar in that kind of service.
Scripture repeatedly honors those who faithfully fulfill their responsibilities. Whether standing guard on city walls, tending sheep in lonely fields, or carrying the Gospel into dangerous places, God's people are often called to serve quietly and without recognition.
Most veterans know something about that.
They know what it means to do their duty whether applause follows or not.
Today, I find myself thankful not only for my father but for every veteran who spent part of their life protecting something larger than themselves. Their service made possible many of the blessings we enjoy every day.
And I am reminded that, as believers, we are called to stand watch as well.
Not with aircraft, ships, or uniforms, but with prayer, faithfulness, kindness, and a willingness to serve where God has placed us.
On this Veterans Day, may we remember those who wore the uniform, support those who still serve, and pray for the families who stood beside them through every deployment, transfer, and homecoming.
Prayer
Heavenly Father,
Today we thank You for our veterans and active-duty service members. Bless those who have served our nation and those who continue to serve today. Comfort those carrying wounds seen and unseen. Strengthen military families and remind them that their sacrifices are not forgotten.
Thank You for the freedoms we enjoy and for the men and women who helped protect them. Help us to live worthy of these gifts and to serve others with the same spirit of dedication and humility.
In Jesus' name, Amen.
Today, my thoughts are especially with the military. They always have a place in my heart, because before Florida beaches, sandcastles, and quiet mornings with a Bible and coffee, there was a young Air Force family beginning life's journey together. 🇺🇸✝️
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