We passed the Declaration of Independence’s 243rd anniversary last Thursday. On July 4, 1776, 56 intelligent, influential men signed a document that boldly asserted this country’s independence from Great Britain. In other words, it declared our freedom to rule ourselves.
America has always been a symbol of freedom. Among others, we are blessed with freedom of religion. We can be Protestants, Catholics, Jews, Muslims, Taoists, Buddhists, or anything else we define as a religion.
Just an aside: I feel sure Puritans, Pilgrims, Huguenots, Anabaptists, and other sects who fled Britain and Europe to practice their faith without fear of persecution or death defined freedom of religion as the right to worship Jesus in their own way. But things have changed.
I’m grateful to God I’m an American. I’m free to read my Bible and practice my faith. I’m free to pray in public or in church, attend church, write about God, and raise my children in Christ.
Thus far, no one has restricted my Christian freedoms, although many people worry that one day we’ll lose those in America. Please pray for revival.
The thing about freedom is, everyone has a different idea of what it stands for. What I think is right might differ from what you think is right. I don’t like guns. But I don’t want to be told I can’t own one should I ever learn to hunt (Ha!), or feel I need one for self-defense.
Hunters want to be free to owns guns so they can bag deer, turkeys, ducks, or whatever else strikes their fancy. I believe they should be permitted to own guns for this purpose.
Most of the people in the Atlantic community eat what they hunt. It’s not about mounting a ten-point rack on their wall; it’s about enjoying the thrill of the hunt, the peace of nature, and the food the animals provide. This is a good thing.
Others want to own guns for self-defense. I understand this, too. The sad fact is people who want to kill others will find ways to get guns, even if it’s outlawed one day. I pray we never lose our right to own guns.
I hate abortion. It’s murder. But Americans have the right to peaceably assemble to protest or endorse abortion. I don’t want to be told I can’t attend a pro-life rally. So I guess I have to accept the gathering of people who support what I hate.
I wasn’t born a slave. I can choose my career. I can travel wherever I want, as long as I can afford it and have the right identification. I can own property. Millions of people throughout history haven’t had these freedoms.
American soldiers have fought and died to protect our freedoms. And while I don’t want my children to go to war, I’m grateful to live in a country where men and women can enlist and fight to protect our country, its people, and our freedoms. People choose to fight for America. They’re not conscripted as Israelis are.
Americans are free to do what they think is right, for the most part, as long as they obey the laws of our land. A society without laws is chaos. We have to have laws. God surely believes this. Look at the books of Exodus, Leviticus, and Deuteronomy if you doubt me. Mercifully Jesus died for our sins and boiled down the whole law to two commandments. He said to “’Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind…And love your neighbor as yourself.’” (Matthew 22:37-39 NIV)
I hope you’re grateful to be an American, thankful for our freedoms, and that you praise God for these today.
All God’s blessings to you this week.