This month our nation celebrates its 250th anniversary. America began as a nation on July 4th 1776 with the signing of the Declaration of Independence. But wasn’t exactly the beginning. Paul Revere’s midnight ride and the battles of Lexington and Concord occurred well over a year before; furthermore, the Revolutionary War wouldn’t be decided until the British surrendered at Yorktown over 5 years later. The treaty which concluded hostilities was signed in Paris 2 years after the British Surrender. It begs the question: Why should we call the 4th of July our Independence Day? The answer is simple but important, the truth began at the moment an irrevocable choice was made.
The founding fathers knew that this was the defining moment. Because their choice to live independently from the rule of those who had authority over them would change everything from that moment on. What began with a decision became the life that they would have. They would now need to sacrifice, to fight, to stand up for what they believed to be true and right, no matter what the cost.
Everything would be different.
Perhaps it was the Christian faith held by so many of them that informed this. As Christians they, and we with them, know that the moment that changed our lives was when God called us His own. When this truth was uttered and made its way from our ears to our hearts, everything else would be different. We would now sacrifice, fight, and stand up for what we now know to be the absolute truth. Everything is different. This is why we call the cross the moment of our salvation. What matters most is choice of God, the rest would come and be worked out in our lives.
As we celebrate this Independence Day remember that the freedom you now live and enjoy is the product of the choice of another to ensure you would live as free men and women. The one who chose was Christ. How blessed are we to live in the greatest country in the world and to be citizens of the Kingdom of God, and all because of a choice for us!
God Bless America,
