Hope you had a ‘Happy 4th.’!! Lots of celebration with family, great food, good drinks, and maybe some Fireworks. A wonderful tradition. May we never forget who we are, and how this all came to be.
As you know, July 4th, 1776 is the day the Continental Congress signed off on the document that declared America independent from Great Britain. The document actually had been written some days earlier but some things had to be worked out, and agreed upon, so July 4th is the date on the declaration. A lot of blood, sweat, tears, loss of property, and many deaths went into making this declaration a reality, but through the hand of God it happened.
There is no way a tiny Group of 13 Colonies could defeat the most powerful Nation in the world were it not for divine intervention. The Mother Country had begun to put such restrictions and laws and demands upon them that they felt in bondage. They put their trust in God, and believed He would set them free. Their Mantra: “In God we Trust'” (though that did not appear on coins until 1866).
The Founding Fathers obviously believed His Word. No doubt they saw in it the love the Father had for His children, and how He wanted them to be free through what He had done for mankind in and through Jesus Christ.
No doubt hey saw in it that Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. (John 14:6) They saw in it where Jesus said to those who believed in Him, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:31-32)
God set America free to become perhaps the most blessed Nation ever to be. It is going through some challenging times right now, but it has gone through many before. If we will never forget the truth, and keep our focus on the truth, “the truth will set us free.” Jesus is the Truth.
When Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” is the truth of life. For a Nation – for each of us. Whatever may have us in bondage in this life, Jesus will set us free when we hold to His teaching. That teaching is to believe in, and trust the love of God to set us free. To show love to our neighbor by doing right things for right reasons, To love ourselves, to feel that we are worthy to represent Him for He has given given us things to do, and the power and love through the presence of the Holy Spirit to get them done. God is able to set us free, and desires to do so when we believe and ask Him to. He will deliver us from giants, or whatever tries to capture us – no matter what or who they are – when we believe in His Son. (John 6:29)
As we read In 1 Samuel 17:47 where David declared to Goliath, “All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord’s and He will give all of you into our hands.” We know how that all came out. We know how America came out. Let us know this is how every battle will ultimately come out as we show up, take our cue from Him, and let Him set us free.
“Grace and peace to you from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ who gave Himself for our sins to ‘rescue us’ from the present evil age.” (Galatians 1: 3-4) You are greatly loved, God’s Beloveds.
Poppa B.