It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm
and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.
Galatians 5:1
As I reflected on the flag draped over the altar, it became clear my friend was thinking the same thoughts as I when she leaned toward my ear, whispering, "How fitting. Our nation on the altar."
All I could do was shake my head in agreement. No other words were necessary.
Adding to those thoughts was the hymn America the Beautiful. A heart of gratitude to God welled within. People before me chose to stand for what they believe in, what I believe in, and were willing to sacrifice it all for those beliefs. I am so thankful God chose to place me in this country I love and I want to lift her to His altar this Independence Day.
Would you join me in prayer for her?
All I could do was shake my head in agreement. No other words were necessary.
Adding to those thoughts was the hymn America the Beautiful. A heart of gratitude to God welled within. People before me chose to stand for what they believe in, what I believe in, and were willing to sacrifice it all for those beliefs. I am so thankful God chose to place me in this country I love and I want to lift her to His altar this Independence Day.
Would you join me in prayer for her?
God of wonders, thank you for being mine. Thank you for adopting me as your own, regardless of my sin, my past, and my flaws. My mind cannot fathom how loving you must be to extend your inheritance to me to call my own. I thank you for this country that you have blessed this many years. I pray for us, your people, in this nation to turn our hearts from our own ways and our own pride and our own wickedness and face those hearts toward you in repentance. We are all in desperate need of you. Would you bring us, as a people, an awareness of that need? Bring us to the end of ourselves and our "independence" from You and make us a people completely dependent upon You. This country has only been great because of your gracious, merciful hand reaching toward us, may we be mindful of that and not turn our noses up at your demands for holiness. Give us wisdom to see your standards for living as tools for and not limitations to our freedom. Forgive us of our arrogance and pride and please replace it with humility and dependence upon You. Make us a grateful people. Make us a praying people. Make us a loving people. Make us a wise people given to great discernment. May we open our hardened hearts to allow your love to pour in and then spill out on those we meet. Open our minds to be renewed in truth so that truth would be foundational in all we do and think individually and as a nation. Let the truth of Who You Are remind us of our frailty. May your character be our guide when we interact with others. Oh...that we would live reflecting that what we profess to believe is relevant in our choices. May we stop handing down an irrelevant faith to our children. For this nation to continue to be great, the next generations must see that You are relevant in all things, begin that in me and my household. Forgive us as parents for often only making You and your teachings a mere suggestion to our children and not a priority. Sadly, we have allowed what we call freedom to become our own bondage. Help us to see that to be truly free as a people we must begin everyday enslaved to You.
True independence requires our complete dependence on You.
