Independence Day—July 4

Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people whom he has chosen as his heritage! The Lord looks down from heaven; he sees all the children of man; from where he sits enthroned he looks out on all the inhabitants of the earth, he who fashions the hearts of them all and observes all their deeds. The king is not saved by his great army; a warrior is not delivered by his great strength. The war horse is a false hope for salvation, and by its great might it cannot rescue. Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love, that he may deliver their soul from death and keep them alive in famine. Our soul waits for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. For our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name. Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us, even as we hope in you. Psalm 33:12-22

This year on July 4^th we will celebrate the 236^th birthday of our nation. But as we do so, we recognize that there is a good bit of trepidation about where we are right now-- and where we are headed as a nation.

Our economy continues to struggle in many places. The institutions of marriage and family as they have been traditionally understood are under attack. Radical Islam continues to be a very real threat. Abortion and pornography are legal and the tastes/values/culture of our fellow citizens is coarsening.

It is very easy to grow discouraged. It is also very easy to look for quick solutions. Enact these laws! Elect these people! Energize the economy! Empower our military! We seem to think that the next group of politicians or the next set of laws or the next Supreme Court decision will make things right. But these are false hopes!

The solution to what ails us as a nation is, at the same time, much more difficult and much easier. True hope is found in a wholesale return to the LORD among our fellow citizens—that we fear his wrath, knowing that his eyes see our national sins—but that we also trust in his steadfast love that led him to send his Son as our Savior.

The problem that is at the heart of what ails us as a nation is spiritual-- and we Christians have a role to play in helping our nation turn to the LORD in repentance and faith.

We are called upon by God to be an example of those who trust, not in riches or power, but in the LORD and look to him alone for help. We are called by God to proclaim his saving name so that our fellow citizens could come to know him through our witness. And we are called by God to be people of hope who are confident that, come what may, he is our shield.

Let us pray:

Almighty God, You have given us this good land as our heritage. Grant that we remember Your generosity and constantly do Your will. Bless our land with honest industry, truthful education, and an honorable way of life. Save us from violence, discord, and confusion, from pride and arrogance, and from every evil course of action. Grant that we, who came from many different nations with many different languages, may become a united people. Support us in defending our liberties, and give those to whom we have entrusted the authority of government the spirit of wisdom, that there may be justice and peace in our land. When times are prosperous, may our hearts be thankful, and in troubled times do not let our trust in You fail; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.