Independence Day

God’s blessings on you this 4th of July. Here in the United States of America, we celebrate the Fourth of July as our Independence Day. This is a day commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, declaring independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain. John Adams had written to his wife Abigail about the adoption of the Declaration of Independence, stating that the day:

“… will be the most memorable epoch in the history of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forever more.”

John Adams’ vision of future Independence Days was pretty accurate… with the exception of “solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty.” On this day Americans DO picnic, visit with family and friends, celebrate with parades and fireworks, and remember the freedoms which are guaranteed by our Constitution… the Preamble of which is known to virtually every American… and desperately sought after by people who long to escape tyranny and taste freedom. The words of the Preamble echo through history, and are as powerful today as they were at the formation of our Union:

“We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”

With such powerful and profound words, I can only believe that this Country’s founding Fathers were led by God’s Spirit. They recognized that freedom is an inalienable AND God given right of ALL people. God created us as free people, with the freedom to choose… to choose good versus evil, to choose right over wrong, to choose mercy when revenge seems justified, and to choose obedience instead of sin. The trouble is, when sin entered into human existence, it became a merciless tyrant… marching us ever farther from God, and always closer to despair. As Christians, our Independence Day is celebrated as the day Christ died for our sins. His death and resurrection frees us from the tyranny and bondage of sin, so that we are free to follow God… to live in His Spirit, and to live the lives of abundance God has planned for us.

On a slightly different note:

Monica emailed the following “...when is someone else going to join the conversations?” Well, there is always a reason... vacation schedules, kids in summer programs, SoCal sensory overload... take your pick. I do hear from people (when they bump into me at church) that they regularly read the blog, but they don't seem to have time to post comments. I just keep encouraging them to add their voice to the conversation. Monica is a good friend, communicates with me quite a bit, and is faithful in participating in our blog, and yet... a LOT of encouragement has gone into getting her to post HER thoughts on the blog.

I think it is easier for the very young to do this (post comments), as they are already texting pretty much 24/7. Plus, they are comfortable communicating on multiple threads with different groups of people. To them, communication is free and instant and real... not to be structured or constrained. They use text shorthand (which is gr8), emoticons ;- ), and acronyms (IMHO u r my BFF. LOL!). I find young people usually alive with questions... testing the established ways of doing and thinking... hungry to be involved, but finding it difficult to gain real entry or recognition in established hierarchies; be they politics, business, or church. I once heard that it is easier to make an impact on new people, than it is to raise the dead. Hahahaha! I know which group most people consider themselves to be a part of, but I wonder if their pastors would make the same assessment!

You are unique. You have a unique perspective to share. Your voice and your comments are welcome here. Feel free to question, disagree, agree, edify, propose, think, AND draw closer to God's Spirit as you fulfill God's plan for you.

Celebrate your independence in Christ!

Your brother in Christ, Dave