Happy Independence Day!
The Birthday of our Country’s Independence is a time of joyous celebration. It is also a time to reflect on the fact that our freedom did not come without great sacrifice. Freedom is costly. A well-known phrase in the United States Declaration of Independence is “Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.” This phrase gives examples of the various “unalienable rights” which the Declaration says all human beings have been given by their Creator and for the protection of which they institute governments.
On this “Independence Day” lets also remember that we were once a slave to sin (John 8:34) without the possibility of freedom. But then Jesus, our good God and Savior came into the world and lived a perfect life, died an atoning death and three days later rose from the grave victorious over sin, death and hell. It was His victory that set us free from sin by paying its penalty and setting us free from its power. It was his triumph that freed us to love, serve and obey God. In 1 Peter 2:16 the Apostle Peter writes “Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God.” So as we celebrate our Country’s freedom lets also rejoice in the freedom we have in Christ. We have been set free from the bondage of sin unto the service of God. To Him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.