This week, on July 4th, we will celebrate our nation’s 236th birthday. For some Americans, it can be just another day off. They easily forget the reason for the celebration. The real purpose of the holiday fades into the background behind the parades and the picnics. Younger children might think that the Fourth is just an annual ‘fireworks day.’
But most adults know better. On July 4th, 1776, fifty-six American leaders signed the Declaration of Independence separating the thirteen British colonies from England. The fact that that was 236 years ago makes ours the world’s oldest surviving democracy. At the same time, America is young when compared to Egypt, China, Japan, Rome and Greece. Do you realize that our country was born just a little over 4 generations ago? When Thomas Jefferson, the primary author of the Declaration, died, Abraham Lincoln was a young man of 17. When Lincoln was assassinated, thirty-nine years later, Woodrow Wilson was a boy of 8. When Wilson died in 1924, Ronald Reagan was 12. Ronald Reagan just died in 2004!
Although we are young in years, yet America stands tall among the nations of the world. We are the most prosperous nation on earth. The poorest among us are much better off than the average citizens of most nations of the world. All of the complicated economic theories aside, the greatest cause of poverty is tyranny and corruption. In other words, there is a direct link between our morality and our prosperity.
In the 1830’s French historian and political scientist Alexis de Tocqueville traveled to America. He was curious to discover what set the young democracy apart from her European counterparts. At the end of his trip, he wrote, “I have toured America, and I have seen most of what you have to offer. I’ve seen the richness of the fields and the wealth of your mines. I’ve seen your industrial might, the beauties of the rivers, the streams, the lakes, and the grandeur of the mountains. I’ve noticed the abundance of the forests and the marvelous climate with which you are blessed. In none of these things did I see the cause for the greatness of America. It wasn’t until I went into your churches that I saw the reason for America’s greatness. America is great because America is good; and as long as America is good, America will be great. If it ever ceases to be good, it will cease to be great.
The Americans combine the notions of religion and liberty to intimately in their minds, that it is impossible to make them conceive of one without the other.”
Pray with me… Our Great God, we know Your Word declares that ‘righteousness exalts a nation.’ May we never forget that in our day-by-day personal moral choices, ethics and values we hold the most valuable component of freedom and prosperity. We thank you that more than our efforts to be good, the imputed righteousness of Jesus, your Son and our Savior, is available to us by faith. We want to spread the Good News of the Gospel throughout our land to produce faith in this and future generations. If we do, we know our nation will continue to be truly great because it will be greatly blessed by You. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Blessings,
Pastor Ken
No comments:
Post a Comment