Remembering the Cost

Memorial Day is different.

It is not simply a long weekend. It is not ultimately about cookouts, travel, or the unofficial beginning of summer. At its core, Memorial Day is about remembrance.

It is a day set aside to honor the men and women who gave their lives in service to this country. Those who never made it home, never saw retirement, never embraced their families again. As someone who served more than 20 years on active duty, Memorial Day has always carried weight for me. Because behind every name engraved on a memorial wall is a story. A family. A future that was surrendered in service to something greater than self.

For me, one of those names is USAF Staff Sergeant Dylan Elchin.

Dylan trained alongside us as we geared up for deployment. He was a Joint Terminal Air Controller (JTAC) and deployed around the same time as the 9th Bomb Squadron. Dylan was was embedded with a U.S. Army Special Operations Force Operational Detachment-Alpha team. His role was to advise the Ground Force commander, direct close air support aircraft, and deliver destructive ordnance on enemy targets in support of offensive combat operations. I had the privilege of supporting his unit on a couple of my combat sorties. On November 27, 2018, the vehicle he was riding in was destroyed by an IED in Ghazni Province, Afghanistan. I'll never forget the night several of us went out to the flight line to honor his memory with a salute when his remains passed through Al Udeid Air Base. Dylan gave his life defending our freedoms.

Memorial Day reminds us that these losses are not distant stories in a history book. They are real people with real families, real friendships, and real sacrifice. Men and women who answered the call to serve and gave everything in the process. Freedom has always come at a cost. And remembrance matters because sacrifice should never become common.

Throughout Scripture, God repeatedly called His people to remember.

Remember His faithfulness. Remember His deliverance. Remember the cost.

In Joshua 4, after God brought Israel safely across the Jordan River, He instructed them to build a memorial of stones so future generations would stop and ask, “What do these stones mean?” The memorial existed so people would never forget what God had done.

Memorials matter because memory fades quickly. And one of the dangers of comfort is forgetting the sacrifices that helped provide it. That’s true not only nationally, but spiritually. As Christians, we understand remembrance deeply because our faith itself is anchored in sacrifice. Jesus told His disciples at the Last Supper, “Do this in remembrance of me” (Luke 22:19). The Gospel continually calls us back to the reality that freedom, true freedom, was purchased at a cost.

Memorial Day reminds us of that principle in a different, earthly context. It reminds us that courage exists. That sacrifice is real. That some people willingly laid down their lives so others could live in freedom.

Jesus said in John 15:13, “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” While that verse ultimately points us toward Christ’s perfect sacrifice, it also reflects the kind of selfless courage we honor on Memorial Day.

Today is not about glorifying war.

It is about honoring sacrifice.

It is about pausing long enough to remember that many families carry an empty seat because someone answered the call to serve.

For some, Memorial Day is deeply personal. It brings memories, grief, pride, and gratitude all at once. For others, it is a reminder not to take freedom lightly. Either way, remembrance matters.

Because a nation that forgets sacrifice will eventually fail to value what was purchased through it.

And people who forget sacrifice often drift into entitlement instead of gratitude.

So today, slow down.

Remember names like Dylan Elchin. Pray for Gold Star families. Honor those who gave everything. Teach the next generation why remembrance matters. And as you reflect on earthly sacrifice, allow it to also point your heart toward the greater sacrifice of Christ, the One who willingly laid down His life so we could experience eternal freedom.

Reflection Question

Have I allowed comfort and routine to dull my gratitude for the sacrifices others have made on my behalf?