Land That I Love

(In a much less important sense) The 4th of July always seems to creep up on me like Easter or Christmas if I’m not careful. Not that I have to take weeks getting my heart and soul prepared for the 4th like I should the other two holidays I mentioned, but I still do like to remind myself of general details and stories surrounding Independence Day 1776.

It doesn’t matter how familiar the story is, I am always blown away that the Colonies were bold enough to pull the proverbial trigger of Independence and then had the dumb luck (it seemed at times) to go and actually defeat England. I mean think about it, when it came to money, political power, and military dominance it would be like Hawaii declaring independence from the rest of America and winning. Insane! There are so many stories of heroics and just down-right awesomeness surrounding the War for Independence. From Nathaniel Hale’s famous line before being hanged as a spy by British troops “”I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country” to John Paul Jones’ declaration “I have not yet begun to fight.” It was a time for legend and myth, but also a time for intense focus and extreme courage.

Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you knew “this is going to be a huge moment in my life.”? Benjamin Franklin looked around the room at the signing of the Declaration of the Independence and pondered how serious that moment was. When the room looked to him for a word of wisdom, Franklin mused, “We must hang together or surely we shall hang separately.” He was not wrong. Were they to fail, their signatures having reached the court of King George III, would have doomed them to a terrible death. Yet they signed that document and went to war.

It is that heroic act that we celebrate each year with fireworks, cookouts, parades and family. Can any of those things completely honor the sacrifice of so many? Certainly not, but they serve as an annual reminder that their sacrifice was not in vain. Their victory continues, and we now have the ability to celebrate their acts of heroism in the peace it purchased. So perhaps I spoke amiss earlier. Perhaps your family barbeque is the best way to honor them. If they were here, I have no doubt George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, and James Madison would have loved nothing more than to grab an extra burger, play a game of cornhole, or throw a blanket out and watch in awe as fireworks shoot across the night sky.

 However, as a Christian I am filled with another wave of gratitude. I am thankful that my God has allowed me and my family to live in this great nation. I am thankful for the freedoms I have the privilege to enjoy. I am thankful for the prosperity this land has offered. I am also humbled by the responsibility God has entrusted to me. Unlike my brothers and sisters in foreign lands who risk their safety each day for the sake of living out their faith, God has seen fit to allow me to openly proclaim Christ through my words and actions with no real threat of danger. Why me? Why this nation? I am not sure there is an answer, but there is a great responsibility.

So this Independence Day, celebrate the men and women who struggled and even died for the idea of this nation and then use those freedoms to proclaim the name of the only one who can completely deliver men from their greatest need.

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