Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.
As we celebrate the blessing of our freedom this Memorial Day, let’s pause to reflect on the true significance of this holiday. It’s a time to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice and died in active military service. With reverence let’s extend our heartfelt prayers to their families, as well as to our leaders and the nation they served. While we enjoy our freedom, let us never lose sight of the cost paid by those who selflessly laid down their lives and gave all they had. Despite what is happening around us, we should remain steadfast in our gratitude, recognizing that despite challenges, we reside in one of the world’s greatest nations.
So Jacob served seven years to get Rachel, but they seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her.
Jacob loved Rachel deeply and was willing to work an extra seven years just to marry her because he cared for her so much. Rachel’s role as one of Jacob’s wives and the mother of two of the twelve tribes of Israel is significant in history. Her struggles in marriage and with infertility show the emotional difficulties couples can go through and the need for supporting each other. Despite their marriage not being perfect, Jacob and Rachel’s story teaches us that love, patience, and good communication can help overcome problems. When Rachel finally became pregnant and had Joseph and Benjamin, it showed that trusting in God’s plan is important.
Lesson:
Today’s couples can learn from Rachel and Jacob’s story by understanding that every marriage faces challenges, such as conflicts over attention or time, misunderstandings, or outside pressures. By embracing the selfless nature of love, being patient with each other’s flaws, and showing unwavering dedication, couples can better navigate the highs and lows of married life, leading to stronger and more resilient relationships. Their story serves as a reminder that with genuine love and commitment marriages can endure and flourish, even when faced with tough times.
After she had given him a drink, she said, “I’ll draw water for your camels too, until they have had enough to drink.”
When Abraham wanted to find a wife for his son, he didn’t want Isaac to marry someone from the Canaanite people. Instead, he wanted Isaac to marry a good woman from their own family back in their homeland. To make this happen, Abraham sent his trusted servant on a journey to find the right woman.
The servant traveled to a distant place and reached a well. At the well, he prayed to God for help and asked for a sign to identify the perfect woman. He decided that if a young woman came to the well and not only gave him water to drink but also watered his camels, she would be the one chosen by God.
A young woman named Rebekah came to the well and did exactly what the servant had asked for. This confirmed to the servant that she was the one meant to be Isaac’s wife. So, the servant brought Rebekah back to Abraham, and she became Isaac’s wife. This fulfilled Abraham’s wish to find a suitable wife for his son.
Rebekah’s act of kindness at the well, where she offered to water Abraham’s servant’s camels, showed her generosity and hospitality. It revealed her good character and played an important role in God’s plan. Because of this, she was chosen as Isaac’s wife, which made her an important part of the family tree leading to Jesus Christ. Rebekah’s willingness to serve not only gave her a significant role in the Bible’s history but also taught us the importance of being humble and serving others in our own lives.
The Lesson: We can learn the importance of kindness, hospitality, and selflessness from Rebekah’s example. We can put these same values in our daily interactions by helping others, treating people with respect, and volunteering for charitable causes. Small acts of kindness can make a big difference in our communities, fostering connections and creating a more supportive society. By embracing these values and striving for compassion, we can contribute to a better world.
You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.
To all Veterans who have humbly served our great nation in the United States Armed Forces, we thank you for your service, honor you for your selflessness and respect you for all you have sacrificed for our freedom. May God bless you always.
We live in one of the greatest countries in the world. We have civil liberties and fundamental rights that many others do not have and sometimes we take them for granted. One of our great liberties is freedom of religion, the right to practice whatever religion we choose and to worship in private and public and it is protected by the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. Thankfully, our military continues to fight for the preservation of our freedom. But there is someone else who died for our freedom and His name is JESUS! Jesus has set you free from the bondage of sin and has done what the law could not do. You are no longer a slave to sin but by the grace of God have been set free. Now that you have been set free it is up to you to use your freedom wisely. Instead of using your freedom to do whatever the flesh desires use it to humbly serve one another in love.
You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.
To all Veterans who have humbly served our great nation in the United States Armed Forces, we thank you for your service, honor you for your selflessness and respect you for all you have sacrificed for our freedom. May God bless you always.
We live in one of the greatest countries in the world. We have civil liberties and fundamental rights that many others do not have and sometimes we take them for granted. One of our great liberties is freedom of religion, the right to practice whatever religion we choose and to worship in private and public and it is protected by the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. Thankfully, our military continues to fight for the preservation of our freedom. But there is someone else who died for our freedom and His name is JESUS! Jesus has set you free from the bondage of sin and has done what the law could not do. You are no longer a slave to sin but by the grace of God have been set free. Now that you have been set free it is up to you to use your freedom wisely. Instead of using your freedom to do whatever the flesh desires use it to humbly serve one another in love.
Do nothing from selfish or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves.
We are living in an age where selfish ambition is the norm. Our culture teaches us to think of ourselves as the top priority and to put ourselves first in everything we do. But the Bible teaches us to be humble and not to think of ourselves as more important than others. True love is not selfish, it puts our partners needs and happiness above our own.
Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”
If your desire is for God to use you, first you need to experience a relationship with him, get to know him, and recognize his voice. Second, you need to offer yourself to him through obedience and service.
Love…it keeps no record of wrongs. – 1 Corinthians 13:5
Love fights fair. We’re not perfect and there are going to be times when we disagree or have conflict but love fights fair. It doesn’t bring up the past and it doesn’t purposefully hurt each other. Love listens before speaking, is gentle, and fair. Love tries to understand and love forgives.
Do nothing from selfish or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves.
Love isn’t jealous and it is not selfish. Jealousy and selfishness go hand in hand. We are living in an age where selfish ambition is the norm. Our culture teaches us to think of ourselves as the top priority and when you’re in a relationship jealousy is bound to creep in when we selfishly put ourselves first before our partner. Love teaches us to be humble, and to put our partners needs and happiness above our own.
The Consecrated Woman 