Happy July 4th — We are Free Because of Thee
Happy Birthday, America! Today, we celebrate the freedom that we take for granted on most days. Many have sacrificed their lives for this country so the rest of us can rest each night — safe and fairly certain of what tomorrow will bring. I don’t want this blog today to just be a casual reminder, but an indelibly imprinted reminder of the blessings of being free and blessed to live in our great “land of the free and the home of the brave.” July 4th seems extra significant to me on this Sunday. I assure you I will go to church this morning, and I will be praising God for the blessings of living here.
I was reminded during the month of June how free we really are as “Gay Pride” was front and center in parades, stores, speeches, etc. And the same freedom that gives me the right to worship and write this blog post is the same freedom that “Gay Pride” was afforded. The same freedom that allows me to sing praise to God on Sunday morning allows for their speeches. So, with the freedoms afforded us, I must ask myself the question that I offer to you: “As a Christian, am I sharing my message as freely and as boldly as those who march in rainbow-colored outfits or those who march for anything they believe in? Am I as passionate about my “cause” as they are theirs? I am not speaking against their passion. I am speaking FOR our passion. Isaiah 6:8 says, “Then I heard the Lord asking, ‘Whom should I send as a messenger to this people? Who will go for us?’ I said, “Here I am. Send me.”
Democracy and freedom in America was born 245 years ago, July 4th, 1776 — freedoms that we so often take for granted. Freedom of speech. Freedom to worship. Freedom to do what we believe leads to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” St. Paul spoke about another freedom in Galatians 5:13 “Dear brothers, you have been given freedom: not freedom to do wrong but use your freedom to serve one another in love.” Those words “use your FREEDOM to serve one another in love” was bought with the blood of our Savior.
Maybe it’s time to pause and remember the highest, best freedom: LOVE. May we only speak words that make hearts stronger. May we worship God who gave everything for us. May we pause in our pursuits to be thankful. That’s what true freedom looks like. We won’t find it in the rant of hate, anger, and malice. It won’t be at the table with gossip or backbiting. When we stop loving, we give up our freedom. We become entangled in our own words and hatred. We are free to live with PRIDE for the gift of eternal life from our Lord Who FREELY gave His life for us – all of us – no matter what we believe.
Yes, July 4th is a time to celebrate an important event in history. But let’s also think about what real freedom means for us right here, right now. We need to use our freedoms to send out a little more love and faith that lights up our world like fireworks that lights up the dark! Let’s think about how we can use our freedom to make this world a better place for you and me. Let freedom SING:
“GOD BLESS AMERICA! Land that I love. Stand beside her and guide her through the night with the light from above. From the mountains to the prairies to the oceans white with foam. God bless America. My home sweet home.”