Pastor Dewey Note: I asked Danny Whatley former U.S. Marshall and now head of Noon Day Ministries in Albuquerque to share his thoughts on Independence Day, Thank you Danny!
As we celebrate our Independence Day, we unfortunately find many that do not know and understand the sacrifice in blood that our fellow countrymen made to make us independent and free. These men and women sacrificed all, leaving it all on the battlefields on our own soil and in foreign lands, so that we might be free of those who did not and don’t want us free. Today we fight a much different enemy than any army has ever faced. We fight an enemy that we often don’t recognize and can’t distinguish from those who mean us no harm and in fact, want what we have, freedom. We put our women and men in harm’s way against an enemy of ideas, an enemy that has a warped understanding of who God is and what God desires of His own.
So how do we celebrate a very misunderstood memorial holiday we call Independence Day? We first have to understand who we are, what we are and how we came to be. The area of the United States, actually the East coast of what is now our United States, was discovered for the main reason of expansion and expanding trade, so, for the most part, we were discovered for clearly economical reasons. As colonies were established they were not very successful and not until the country became a haven for those escaping religious persecution and seeking freedom did our nation thrive.
Our first obstacle, of course was carving out a life in an area of wilderness, we did that. Our next obstacle was against those who wanted to contain and limit our worship of God. Against overwhelming odds in man power and resources we overcame that also and our nation was founded.
Our history from its very beginning is covered with the blood of patriots who willingly stepped into the fray for freedom. Our nation was recognized as the nation that had been there and done that to obtain freedom. We were often involved in fights to assist other nations and people whose freedom and independence was being threatened. We have become the defender of the rights and freedoms of not only our people, but people around the world. We are often criticized for our stand to stop oppression and mistreatment of others and coming to their defense.
As stated, we find ourselves in a different world today. A nation that doesn’t remember, a nation that doesn’t understand the principles that our nation was founded and a nation that seems not to value our honored traditions. While frustrating and discouraging we need to realize that while we talk about freedom, while we talk about justice and equality, we need to remember the reason our country was founded and the foundation on which it was built.
Our founding fathers and framers of our Constitution wrote in the preamble the following words:
“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 posterity, do ordain and establish the Constitution for the United States of America.
I firmly believe that the framers of the Constitution knew that the only way we could have a “more perfect union,” was through the power of a perfect God. I believe that the preamble is actually a covenant with God. Some have rejected the concept of the United States being a Christian nation, but I believe the framers of the Constitution and the founding fathers of our nation understood, accepted and even welcomed this fact, and that we were founded on Christian values. For many years we were a great and powerful nation, I believe in large part, because of our Christian faith.
With all that said, we individually and personally have a decision to make, will we follow Christ, or will we reject His promise, His truth in the Word of God. As Solomon was dedicating the temple to God, God spoke to him and gave him and the Nation of Israel a promise, a covenant. We are very familiar with the words and the verse, but for the most part we fail to grasp God’s promise and our responsibility in 2 Chronicles 7:14:
“If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”
First, this is a personal promise to those who have accepted Christ as Savior, we become the “My people,” God’s people listed in the verse. We become those who are called by His name. Second, once we come face to face with Christ and truly realize who He is, was and will always be, our natural response is humility. Humility is not a onetime response, it is a lifestyle, we live a life that reflects Christ and elevates Christ not us. Our understanding and definition of humility is wrong, it is not weakness, but strength, power under the control of an all powerful God. Third, we need to pray and seek the face of God. We need to pray for our country, pray for our leaders, pray for clarity of purpose, for understanding, for salvation, for our nation. But, we need to remember and always keep in mind that God is in control, regardless of how hopeless things may appear. Finally, we need to repent of our sins, turn from, as the Word of God says, our wicked ways. Anything in our life that is hindering our relationship with God, is separating us from Him, we need to repent of these things, these thoughts, these actions, these deeds and turn back to God.
God then promises us two things, that He will forgive our sins, not that He might forgive our sins or if we do good things or follow some protocol He will forgive our sins, He says, if we confess, He will forgive. Second, He will heal our land. If we believe the Bible is God’s Word, that it is accurate, true and without error, then we have our answer to the problems in our nation and in our world.
So how do we celebrate our Independence Day? We first honor the memory of those who have died to make us free and keep us free. We cannot forget the founding fathers intent and reason for creating this great nation. We also cannot forget why we are great and who made us great and who can make us great again. We talk about the blood sacrifice for freedom, but we cannot forget that the blood Jesus bleed for us is that thing that provides true freedom and eternal life for us personally and for our nation, for our world collectively. We need to celebrate Independence Day knowing that we, the Church have the answer for this total and eternal freedom in and through Jesus Christ our Lord.
I pray God’s richest blessings on this our Independence Day.
