Independence Day is not a religious holiday in the strict sense of the word. However, I believe that the United States of America is a gift from God, and celebrating that gift on July 4th is a sacred recognition of what God has done.
Our founders, for the most part, were men of faith, Christian men who believed in God’s Word and relied on His Providential favor. When they signed their names to the Declaration of Independence, it was after much thought, debate, and prayer. The concluding sentence makes clear their reliance upon Almighty God.
“And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.”
They believed that God was calling them to this separation. Their appeal was based not on human philosophy but on “the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God.” Frustration with the British King and Parliament may have lit the fuse of rebellion, but the inspiration of liberty exploded into the Revolutionary War.
They put everything on the line to secure our liberty, and they succeeded. There has never been a nation in the history of the world that comes close to providing the freedom and prosperity which Americans enjoy. Our unparalleled success is not because we are inherently better people, but because our nation is founded on better principles. The first principle is faith in God.
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”
That is why I believe that Independence Day, July 4th, is a sacred holiday! May we take some time over these next few days to thank God for this country and to pray that, by His grace, we will not lose it!
Happy Independence Day!
For God and Country,
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