Celebrating Independence Day

​Our founding fathers knew that God was orchestrating the destiny of America. The plans they made for our future were heavily influenced by this truth. On July 4, 2025, our president started a celebration of the 250th anniversary of our nation which will occur on July 4, 2026. It is common, as we come to a crossroad, to look back in history and forward in time. We must learn from our past and plan for our future.
 
I hope that we can agree that our Founders were deeply influenced by Judeo-Christian principles. They recognized that God's hand was with our fledgling nation to protect and encourage us. They overcame impossible odds only by the help of God. The liberties that we have clearly come from the God of the Bible. On July 4, 1776, our nation declared through its leaders that it would no longer be a colony of England, but an independent nation. Leading citizens, at their own peril, signed the Declaration of Independence. Fifty-six members of the Continental Congress willingly placed their signatures on this document giving Britain notice that they would be the leaders of an independent country. The last sentence of the Declaration of Independence reads, "...for the support of this Declaration, with a firm Reliance on the Protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor."
 
In our 249 years of living out what some called "The Holy Experiment," we have had a multitude of challenges and struggles. Some of these have made us forget our "high calling" to take the gospel of the Kingdom of God to the ends of the earth. Others intentionally embrace a divisive spirit and worship false idols. Rifts between people groups in our country have tested the rule of law and made some forget the importance of personal responsibility and the dignity of an individual. The prophet Micah gives us direction through the words in Chapter 6, Verse 8 of his book. "He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God." 
 
On July 4, 1926, Calvin Coolidge spoke in Philadelphia, PA, to acknowledge the 150th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. He said, "If we are to maintain the great heritage which has been bequeathed to us, we must be like-minded as the Founders who created it. We must not sink into a pagan materialism. We must cultivate the reverence they had for the things that are holy. We must follow the spiritual and moral leadership which they showed. We must keep replenished, that they may glow with a more compelling flame, the altar fires before which they worshiped."
 
The words that President Coolidge spoke in 1926 bear repeating. We must remain true to the principles upon which our nation was founded. As President Trump began to celebrate the anniversary of our country, he reminded us that "We are one nation under God." The milestone anniversary that is coming upon us could be an opportunity for a national reset. It is a reminder of the importance of our faith in God and that none of the blessings we have received can be maintained without thankfulness to Him. Our responsibility is to educate the next generation about our founding and the sacrifices that were made to secure our freedoms. We must reflect on our nation’s freedoms and give thanks to God for our Judeo-Christian roots and all the blessings that He has poured upon us. Let us remember what we are told in Psalm 33:12.
“Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord..." Amen!