Mighty God,1
You are to be desired by all nations,2 yet chose to make America great. With celebration for our nation’s birth, I come before You with thanksgiving for the freedom bestowed on me each day anew. Praise be to the Lord who granted and preserves our independence! From our earliest days, You have made us a nation of strength and compassion because we sought your favor. John Adams was right when he wrote of Independence Day, saying: “It ought to be commemorated, as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty.”
Have we forgotten that you are our deliverer, refuge, and fortress?3 It is You alone, our Creator, who endows us with the right to the life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness our Declaration of Independence speaks of. True freedom is not granted by a piece of paper, but through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, our Savior:
It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. (Galatians 5:1 NIV)
Let us be forever watchful of our hearts, that we may not blindly fall into the slavery of sin and pride. Instead, let the skies above our land be a reminder of your hand in creation.4 Let their beauty direct us, with thankful spirits, toward Your will in America. Let us embrace the words spoken by Samuel Adams as the Declaration of Independence was being signed:
“We have this day restored the Sovereign to Whom all men ought to be obedient. He reigns in heaven and from the rising to the setting of the sun, let His kingdom come.”
On this Independence Day, we do not celebrate our own accomplishments, but Yours through us. May you receive the glory for America’s greatness, and may we be faithful stewards of Your gospel to the nations.
AMEN.
1. Isaiah 9:6
2. Haggai 2:7
3. Psalm 18:2
4. Psalm 19:1-4
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