Have you made your Fourth of July plans yet? Perhaps a barbecue in the backyard? Watching a parade down Main Street? Taking in a spectacular fireworks display?
Independence Day is a great excuse for celebrating with friends and family. There’s certainly nothing wrong with that. I like my fair share of grilled chicken and potato salad and three-legged races. But can we remember to put Christ in the middle of it?
I’m sure many of you are familiar that most of our founding fathers were Christians, or if not Christian, at least deist. John Adams, signer of the Declaration of Independence, wrote the following in a letter to his wife, Abigail, upon the declaration being made official (on July 2nd, actually, not July 4th):
"The second day of July, 1776, will be the most memorable epoch in the history of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary Festival. It ought to be commemorated, as the Day of Deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forever."I think most of us got the pomp and parade part down, but kind of leave out the “solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty” part. So, let’s make a resolution, all of us. Let us remember that our independence from tyranny has allowed us liberty to worship a risen Savior, and that all good things, including this great land of ours, comes from God. Let’s remind our children, as we light the barbecue, as we help them festoon their bikes with ribbons, as we head out the door to watch “illuminations”, that we celebrate this day because God was good to those who decided to put Him first in their governance.
Plan a Fourth of July that worships a great God!
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