[Faith-talk] Daily Thought for Wednesday, July 3, 2013

[Paul]

Hello and good day to you all out there, and especially a hello to my fellow U.S. citizens.  As I wrote yesterday, my apologies to you who are citizens of other countries, but this is the time that we Americans celebrate our independence from Great Britain.

Today's article puts it fairly and squarely where it belongs, our nation's independence, that is.  Written some years ago by Donald Crawford for the American Tract Society, it is entitled "Our Declaration of Dependence" and is rendered as follows:

On July 4, 1776, there was signed in the city of Philadelphia one of America's historic documents:  the Declaration of Independence.  It marked the birth of this nation which, under God, was destined for world leadership.

But what we often forget is that, in declaring independence from an earthly power, our forefathers made a forthright declaration of dependence upon Almighty God.  The closing words of this historic document solemnly declare:  "With a firm reliance on the protection of divine providence, we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor."

It is important that we recall this very basic declaration of dependence for, in her prosperity and power and in her unique position of world leadership, America today is showing signs of forgetting the God of our fathers, the God who gave this nation its birth and its present greatness.

We need to be reminded of a solemn warning that God gave to another great nation, which had just been declared independent.  This warning is found in the Bible, and although written over 3,000 years ago, it might well refer to modern America today.

"For the Lord Thy God bringeth thee into a good land ... a land wherein thou shalt eat bread without scarceness ... (and) when thou hast eaten and art full ... then thou shalt bless the Lord Thy God for the good land which He hath given thee ... (but) beware that thou not forget the Lord thy God... lest when thou hast eaten and art full, and hast built goodly houses, and dwelt therein ... and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied; and all that thou hast is multiplied; then thine heart be lifted up and thou forget the Lord thy God" (Deuteronomy 8:7-14).

Indeed, history has made it abundantly clear not only in the lives of nations, but also of individuals, that those who by their lives and actions declare their independence from God, soon become slavishly dependent upon the circumstances and changes of life.  On the other hand, those who have humbly declared their dependence upon God have been remarkably free and independent of life's changing circumstances.

So, as we think again of the birth of our great nation, may we pray that our beloved country might have a new birth of freedom, not a freedom from God, which always leads to license and ultimate slavery, but rather a freedom built upon God and His commandments, apart from which any nation will perish.

Also, may each one of us, as individuals, reaffirm our dependence upon God so that, unto Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith, we might experience the freedom He gives not only from worry, doubt and fear, but also from all those sins which do "so easily beset us" (Hebrews 12:1).

Then, as did the founding fathers of our beloved country, we will find in Him our life, liberty, and true happiness.

Thanks to Brother Crawford for an excellent article, in my humble opinion, and I pray you also thought the same.

And now may the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob just keep us safe, individually and collectively, in these last days in which we live.  Your Christian friend and brother, Paul