Isaiah 50:6 states, ⁶ I gave my back to those who strike, and my cheeks to those who pull out the beard; I hid not my face from disgrace and spitting.

I was named Eugene at birth to honor my uncle Gene, whom I never had the chance to meet. He was my father’s younger brother, tragically shot down during WWII. Each Memorial Day, I reflect on my namesake and hope I have lived up to that legacy.

No greater love exists than to sacrifice oneself for another! Today isn’t for honoring our living comrades, though they continue to bear the burden of returning home when their fallen comrades and friends sacrificed everything for our freedoms, allowing us to express our frustrations, criticize our elected officials, and so on. 

Furthermore, Jesus is known as the Suffering Savior, which encapsulates the message of Isaiah in the above verse. Jesus gave Everything, enduring public humiliation, mockery, and spitting. Nevertheless, the extent of His suffering is beyond full comprehension. Like many fallen soldiers and sailors from the past who chose to serve, Jesus voluntarily embraced suffering for us, bearing God's wrath for our sins. His sacrifice was not merely for our individual sins but for all of humanity. In return, He simply asks us to believe that He has paid our debt and to trust in the straightforward gospel that Paul reminded the Corinthian church of: 15 Now I would remind you, brothers (and sisters), of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, 2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, ~ 1 Corinthians 15:1-4

Today, as you gather around the barbecue pits or sit on the beaches, beginning your summer tans, why not take a moment tothank the Lord for those who made the ultimate sacrifice for your freedoms here in America? More importantly, thank Him for the sacrifice His Son Jesus made for you to have eternal life if you simply believe in the Lord Jesus to be saved.

Here’s to believing in Jesus,

Gene