“Happy Independence Day!” This day commemorates what happened on July 4, 1776, when the original thirteen colonies adopted the Declaration of Independence and declared they were a new nation, no longer under the rule of an English monarchy. We celebrate with parades, speeches, fireworks, picnics and patriotism.
As a nation and a people, we really identify with “independence.” We even get a bit arrogant in it. We don’t want anyone to tell us what to do or how to do it. Our battle cry is freedom, liberty, self-determination, self-sufficiency! We want that in our politics, our social climate, and our religions.
Unfortunately, independence doesn’t wear as well on religion as it does on politics. In fact, as Christians, it is not “independence” that we should be celebrating at all, it is “dependence.” It is only in Christ Jesus that we find true freedom and liberty. Abandoning our self-determination and self-sufficiency, we find we are truly free as we cast everything upon Him. He takes our sins, our shame, our burdens and bondages and gives us righteousness, hope and true peace.
Beloved, let us celebrate every day as “Happy Dependence Day!”
“Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens.” [Psalm 68:19 NIV]
