America, Happy Independence Day!

Happy Independence Day! On this day that we celebrate the United States of America, I can think of no better way than to ask God to Bless America.

Is she perfect? Oh, no sir.

Does she have plenty of problems? Without a doubt.

Are you grateful to be an American? Yes. No other place I had rather be associated with as a citizen on earth.

Fellow Christians,

Fellow Christians, we have so many blessings to thank God for that it is incalculable. We will spend eternity praising God. As those with an eternal future in the family of God, nothing compares to what lies in store for us. Of all people, we can be the most grateful.

If we were, like some today in China, in a concentration camp, as a follower of Jesus, we could still be grateful.

If we were, like some in South Sudan today, facing starvation, as a follower of Jesus, we could still be grateful.

If we were, like some I know today, facing a terminal illness, as a follower of Jesus, we could be grateful.

If we were, like too many I know, scarred by memories of abuse, as a follower of Jesus, we could be grateful.

This list could go on and on. You put whatever you want on the front of this sentence, and as followers of Jesus with all the blessings He provides for us in the past, now, and in the future, we could be grateful. That’s the long and short of it. Because of Jesus Christ, Who has made us citizens of heaven, fellow citizens with the saints, adopted us into His family, and blessed us with life today and eternally, we can be grateful no matter where we are or what is going on in our lives.

Therefore, on this Independence Day, we should be the most grateful of Americans.

We live in a nation which essentially allows us to worship however we wish. Abortion is no longer legal at the national level. No person in the United States or her territories was forbidden from worship just yesterday nor today nor tomorrow. In God’s kindness, we live here.

Is America perfect? Again, no. Nothing on earth is. However, what pitiful people we would be as followers of Jesus Christ to recognize the imperfections without saying full-throated, “Thank you, God!”

Our history contains some ugly periods – the ugliest related to slavery then the Indians. For these things, we regret and ask God to never allow the citizenry of our nation to sanction anything like this ever again. And, there are other ways, like abortion, where America as a nation has taken major missteps.

However, God has granted us this day, our freedom, and our nation. It is nothing less than the gift of God to us for these past 246 years.

   

For All Citizens,

Men, women, boys, and girls have sacrificed greatly to give us what we have today. Boys and girls in specific times and places where they gave up their dads and moms, brothers and sisters, or personal freedoms to support a war effort. Women have given up husbands, sons, freedom, and their lives to support the war effort. Men have given up sons and daughters, their personal freedoms, and lives to support the war effort. Many have given these things up during non-war eras.

I watched the clip below of the Irvin Berlin 1943 movie This Is the Army. As the clip played, I found myself crying. The sacrifices of so many to provide us the freedoms we enjoy are great.

As fellow Americans, how pitiful if we do not in a full-throated way say, “Thank you!”

We cannot let those on the coast or in ivory towers or in the Big-E keep us from being grateful for what God has given to us. Our gratitude is to God! We recognize His blessings. Specifically, God’s blessings world-wide generally and to the Gospel specifically over the past 246 years.

Be very clear – it is not Christian nationalism or white nationalism to say, “Thank you!” to God for our nation. It is not sacrilege to say, “I love the country God has given to us.” Instead, it is a spirit of gratitude to our wonderful God for allowing us the privilege to live here and enjoy the freedoms that come with it. I will not let anyone keep me from being grateful.

To say we love the country God has allowed us to grow up in, be part of, and enjoy does not make us love God less. America is just a place, a tool for imperfect good, and a blessing to the people of the world for now. God is God. Jesus is our Savior. The Holy Spirit empowers us. The Word of God leads us. There is no competition for our loyalties or our gratitude. We hate the one (America) to love the other (God) as Jesus said. However, that does not mean we do not love our country.

What about the problems? The slavery? The treatment of Indians? Abortion? In all of these, we bow our heads and ask God to protect us from ever doing anything like this again. It is with horror we remember what took place. Atrocities.

We look around to find ways to help others today. We seek to be the best citizens on earth as we can, while keeping our allegiance to Jesus Christ. Our eternal home is in heaven with our eternal family. However, our earthly home is here, where we seek to make a Second Great Commandment difference where we live, work, worship, and play.

Don’t confuse gratitude for what God has given to us with something more. Our nation is far from perfect, just as we are far from perfect. There is plenty more for each of us to do in the communities where God has placed us. We have the freedom to share the Word, live the Word, and point people to Jesus every day. For these things, we rejoice.

For those who have made our independence possible, “Thank you!” My oh my, we are so grateful for your personal sacrifice in so many ways.

We ask God to continue to bless America. Through the freedoms and blessings we have as Americans, we can better take the Gospel throughout the world. Plus, we can use the resources of this country to bless those throughout the world.

Below the Kate Smith rendition of God Bless America are several family pictures and other pictures from our trip to Washington D.C. and Philadelphia.

   

Kate Smith’s rendition of God Bless America

 

Celebrating Freedom in Washington D.C. and Philadelphia