Shield of Faith: Devotions for Military FamiliesSample

Sacrificial Love

Jesus loved us enough to die for us, and in that, he modeled perfect sacrificial love. He commands us to love each other the same way he loved us. In the military community, the thought of willingly giving your life so someone else can live is the reason for service. So, it would stand to reason that this idea of sacrificial love is easier for military families to grasp than for most people. The fact that Jesus would then also call those his friends who do what he commands is humbling and overwhelming at the same time. He calls us friends because if we love each other sacrificially, we obey him out of love and because of what he’s done for us. How are you showing sacrificial love to those in your family? There are some practical ways to give yourself sacrificially for each other—giving of your time, doing something thoughtful, helping with someone else’s chores. You can love each other this way not because the other person necessarily deserves it but because Christ has loved you.

Dear God, thank you for your example of sacrificial love.