The reminders
of freedom will be ringing loud throughout the day and balance of the week as
we celebrate the birth of our nation. It’s difficult to believe that
Independence Day is here again. I’ve often heard that the older one gets, the
faster time will fly. This, as all of know is a special time of celebrating a
very special birthday and a time to celebrate our freedom and independence.
Birthdays are
special times of being thankful for achieving another milestone in one’s life. I am well aware that as one starts getting
older, birthdays start to mean less and less.
For many it is just look at it as being one day older than yesterday. However,
birthdays are special times to look back over one’s life and remember the
significance of the journey and the successes and sacrifices that helped to
mould who we are as an individual or nation.
Therefore, I
sometimes wonder, because of her age, are we now starting to lose the
significance of who we are as a nation, where we came from and how we obtained
the freedom for which we enjoy? Today,
we have an opportunity to take some time out our busy schedule to just pause
and remember what this special day is all about. It’s not just about time off work, hotdogs
and hamburgers on the grill and fireworks; it’s celebration of freedom!
During the
celebrations let’s not forget our freedom did not come without a price. True freedom is never really free; someone
paid the price. Perhaps someone close to
each of us gave the ultimate sacrifice and we must never forget. Remember them
by name and thank God for them. We live in freedom as a nation because many men
and women were willing to pay the price so that others could live free.
Political freedom
is great and greatly to be honored.
However, we as individuals may live under an umbrella of freedom and
still be in captivity. Captivity comes
in different ways to keep us from being all of whom we were meant to be. One’s captivity may be in attitude, low
self-esteem, financial, greed, past wrong-doings, present regrets and future
fears or it may be physical challenges. We have the control or change some of
these, however, some are beyond our ability or power to change.. The Bible
speaks about these types of captivity as "a craving for physical pleasure, a craving
for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions." If
we are being held in captivity in any of these areas, this Independence Day
would be a great day to declare our freedom and to change the things that are
keeping us in captivity. A good thing to
remember is part of a song, “The things beyond
myself, I leave to God,” Who knows all things and does all things well.
So, let’s declare
this Fourth of July our personal independence day and live in the freedom
that only God can give. Let’s take the
words of Jesus literally and apply to our life, “when the son hath set you free,
you shall be free indeed.”
Happy
Independence Day!
Galatians
5:13-14 “It is absolutely clear that God has called you to a free life. Just
make sure that you don't use this freedom as an excuse to do whatever you want
to do and destroy your freedom. Rather, use your freedom to serve one another
in love; that's how freedom grows.”
