Happy Birthday America!

Posted on July 4, 2019 by America's Keswick in Victory Call

I hope you’re all as excited as I am for all of the 4^th of July Festivities taking place tonight – fireworks, barbeques, parades, concerts,  and people all over dressed in their red, white, and blue outfits (has anyone ever seen Jim Lang in his patriotic costume?!) These are all wonderful traditions, but if you’ll take a moment with me… let’s time travel back to the 18^th century and imagine being in the shoes of one of the brave individuals who signed their name on the Declaration of Independence.

You wake up to a bright, sunny, cool morning. July 4, 1776. You make yourself some tea and bread for breakfast, and get ready for the big day ahead of you. The vote for Independence took place two days prior, but today would be the day that the Continental Congress would officially adopt the Declaration of Independence. You know it’s a day that will go down in history – it could go one of two ways. It can end in the favor of the 13 colonies who will claim their independence from the British Empire, or it could end in tragedy… but you’ve resolved in your heart to stand with these 13 colonies, even unto death. Though initially two colonies voted against the Declaration of Independence, one was undecided and another one abstained from voting, by the end of the voting process 12 colonies voted yes and one colony abstained… and today it will be official. Today many people will sign the Declaration of Independence. Today the colonies will formally declare their freedom.

Now back to present day – it’s no secret that this country has developed its own problems. We have division, we have violence, we have people who have turned their back on what is good and right. But we also have freedom. We have access to clean water, education, income, and fair trials. We are allowed to vote for the future of our country. Our families don’t need to rest their heads on their pillows at night and fear for tomorrow. This is the great country we live in, this is the country that our founding fathers envisioned for us, and this is the country we should be thanking God for.

The Declaration of Independence says this:

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.”

Billy Graham said it beautifully in one of his articles when he wrote, “Although it is not a religious holiday like Christmas or Easter, for many Americans July 4th is a time to reflect on God’s goodness to us as a nation. Molded into the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia (which proclaimed our independence) are these words from the Bible: ‘Proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof’ (Leviticus 25:10, KJV). Our legal system reflects our Judeo-Christian roots.”

So as we celebrate the 4^th of July and reflect on the brave souls who, quite frankly, risked it all for our freedom, let’s also reflect on these Bible verses:

“Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God.” – 1 Peter 2:16

“Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord…” – Psalm 33:12a

“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is Liberty” – 2 Corinthians 3:17

Isn’t God so good? He has blessed us so abundantly! Happy 4^th of July everyone! Have a safe and happy holiday.

Written by Erin Culleny. Erin Culleny serves as a Marketing Assistant and Staff Writer. She loves encouraging women through her Victory Calls and finds such joy in praying for her sisters in Christ. Her favorite activities include reading her Bible, encouraging others with scripture, buying new makeup, buying dresses, and eating at the Cheesecake Factory… In that order!

Think About This: “The real democratic American idea is, not that every man shall be on a level with every other man, but that every man shall have liberty to be what God made him, without hindrance.” – Henry Ward Beecher

The Daily Bible Reading: Deuteronomy 22-24, Acts 5:22-42| You can download our 2018 Daily Bible Reading Plan by clicking here

This Week’s Verse to Memorize: Therefore, as through one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. – Romans 5:18

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the doctrinal and theological views held by America’s Keswick.