2026 July news-letter article

My fellow Americans,

As many of you know, I generally shy away from “God and country” days.  As a kid, I saw that devolve very quickly into the worship of these United States, which, I need not remind you, is simply a form of idolatry.  It is also worth noting that rarely does the Christian faith adulterate our love of country, but all too often does patriotism adulterate our commitment to the faith as articulated in God’s Word.  As we turn 250 years old, however, it is certainly worth paying attention to one of God’s greatest gifts to our church family: the fact that we get to live in this great country.  So, as we and our fellow countrymen celebrate a “semiquincentennial” (what a fun word; “half of 500”) this year, I’d like to offer you some food for thought.

First thing first, remember fellow followers of Jesus across the globe.  It is worth noting that they are brothers/sisters in Christ; and many of them do not share the liberties we have the joy of sharing as Americans.  Let’s be mindful of these brothers/sisters, and remember what binds us together.  When we celebrate the things that warm our hearts, wear our red/white/blue, watch fireworks, and enjoy what bind us together as Americans, remember people of different cultures and languages and ethnicities with whom we have something much greater in common: salvation in Jesus’ name!  What binds Americans together is a great thing indeed, but what binds fellow Christians together is much, much greater.  In what does your highest pledge of allegiance lie?

Second, may we all fall on our knees thanking God that we get to live here.  As we celebrate the 250th anniversary of the independence of our 13 states, may our natural thought processes quickly move toward gratitude.  Is our country flawed?  Yes.  Are there appalling, or disappointing, or even angering things about our country?  Probably.  Is our country perfect?  Emphatically no!  Let’s be quick to agree that despite our weaknesses and flaws, this country is the greatest country in the history of this planet.  We ought to fall on our knees thanking God that we have the great blessing of living here.  Take a moment and ponder Earth’s other countries; now thank God that you don’t have to live in many of them.  May we be quick to acknowledge that being American is one of God’s most precious gifts to us, and that we are way, way too quick to take God’s gifts for granted.  Let’s pause and reflect, thanking God for His many, many blessings in allowing us to be here, now.

Third, read the Declaration of Independence.  There are eighteen “He has/is” paragraphs accusing George III of tyranny; consider the over-bearing governmental oppression that our colonial fore-fathers had to endure.  Let’s all ponder how good we have it, and how incredible our rights and liberties are.  It may be worth reading the Bill of Rights too, amending the Constitution, just to get a taste for beautiful ways in which our pre-eminent law actively protects little ol’ us from over-reach on the part of our government.  May we recognize how precious these things are, and value them accordingly.  As we read the Declaration, it’s also worth noting that Abraham Lincoln stood on the battle field of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania and called it a “promissory note”.  Was our new nation perfect on July 5, 1776?  No.  Is it perfect now?  No.  Is it better than it was 249 years ago?  Yes!  As our Constitution’s preamble reads “in order to form a more perfect Union”; it’s a good thing that we have a system that allows for continued improvements.  May we, as citizens of God’s Kingdom, be the best citizens this country has, and may we be continually working to make life better for those around us.  This is done daily apart from government, but occasionally it is good for us to make use of governmental tools to accomplish these improvements “with a firm reliance on the protection of divine providence”, just as the Declaration’s signers did.  Finally, as we read the Declaration, may we agree that government doesn’t give or grant us rights.  Rather, governments are instituted to secure our rights.  Government ought simply recognize the rights we have, and the fact that they are self-evident, unable to be alienated from us, and given to us by our Creator!  Now we can be even more thankful to God that it is these truths upon which our independence was based!

Fourth, put your “history nerd” hat on this year.  Watch a YouTube video about Dr. Benjamin Rush, or about the Battle of Saratoga.  There are lots of biographical sketches available, as well as depictions of events surrounding the Revolutionary War.  Consider what happened, and how, and let your heart be filled with pride at the incredible men and women who have gone before us.  Take a dive into colonial history, or the War Between the States, or World War II.  Dig into civilians, dig into military heroes, dig into the history of the Supreme Court, or the geography of the states.  Take advantage of this time to learn a bit more about the people, the places, and the events that have made this country so great.  These can be around our founding, or present day, or anywhere else along the time line.  In so doing, we will quickly gain an even greater appreciation of the old mantra that “freedom is not free”.  As we study and learn, we are counting the costs of what we have today.  From Valley Forge, to the Alamo, to the California gold rush, to Antietam, to Henry Ford’s assembly line, to Kill Devil’s Hill, to Yellowstone, to Pearl Harbor, to Guilford Courthouse, we have a great story.  Do something this year to take in a new bit or piece of this story.  It will cause you to feel small, and this humility will cause you to become yet more thankful.

Fifth, commit yourself to being the best citizen this country has.  Because we are citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven, we are here but for a little while.  While we are here, let’s be faithful stewards.  Vote.  Pay your taxes.  Serve jury duty (though everyone doesn’t have to get as weirdly excited about it as I do).  Volunteer.  Support a local school.  Thank a fire fighter.  Go to the library and tell a child and his mother what that flag up the pole means to you.  Simply put, just be a good neighbor.  Brighten someone else’s day, leaving this community a little better than you found it.  That is biblical stewardship.  That is obedience to Matthew 22:39.  When you hear The Star-Spangled Banner this year, stand up just a little taller, get a lump in your throat, and recognize that we are profoundly blessed.  Let’s remember Who to thank, remembering also to share those blessings with others.  May America bless God, and may He continue to bless America!

Our fathers’ God, to Thee, author of liberty, to Thee we sing:
long may our land be bright with freedom’s holy light;
protect us by Thy might, great God, our King!
--A.J.