Psalm 18:49 Therefore I will praise you among the nations, O LORD; I will sing praises to your name.
Of all the special days on the American calendar, I love Independence Day the most. I guess that as a free-born Scotsman, whose leaders like William Wallace and Robert the Bruce fought and died for liberty, I appreciate the Great American Struggle to win independence for themselves. It was not an easy choice to make, nor was it an easy cause to fulfill. Without commitment and dedication, patience and perseverance, along with unity and determination, America's liberty would never have been won.
We often forget that they took on the strongest army in the world. We don’t appreciate the magnitude of the struggle. It was like David versus Goliath on an international scale and the rocks inside their slingshot, which fortified the Revolution, were called Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.
I sometimes wonder if the revolutionaries fully knew what they were accomplishing. Most of them fought for their families and colonies. It was a question of survival against the mightiest power on Earth. When the War was over and their new Nation was internationally recognized, I wonder if they really understood what the consequences would be. Their gutsy decisions, haphazard victories, and loyalty to the cause engendered a new beginning for the whole world. They showed every nation on Earth that the God-given right to be free is the greatest force and noblest quality that humanity can ever aspire to or experience.
The writer of the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson, once wrote “The God who gave us life…also gave us liberty.” In my opinion, that is one of the most truthful statements ever written in the annals of human history.
So today, I will celebrate this precious holiday by thanking God for the United States, its people, and its freedoms. I will remind myself of the costs and causes of the past, as well as the responsibilities that our liberties lay upon us today as free citizens. All of these blessings are God-given rights which we need to cherish and continue to spread throughout the world. After all, Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness should be blessings that every child, woman, and man should know and experience all over this wonderful planet.
Prayer: Lord God, we thank You for the courage and wisdom of those who established this nation. We are humbled by their achievements and blessed by their accomplishments. Help us to cherish this day with our families and friends, as well as our neighbors and people. Let freedom ring throughout this nation and across the entire world. In Christ’s Name, we pray. Amen.
John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee.
Come and join us for worship on Sundays at 11:00 AM. We will be delighted to see you and make you feel very welcome :)
