Independence Day

Independence Day

What is Independence Day and what does it mean? Why do we have an Independence Day – July 4th? Do we as Americans really understand or know in general what lead the 13 colonies of Britain down a road to breaking away and forming a new country? Do we as Americans understand that this independent spirit really began with the Mayflower consisting of a crew and 102 passengers?

I have forgotten some of our history as I researched this morning. There was a second ship, the Speedwell, which developed a leak and had to port so it didn’t make the voyage to America. The Speedwell was a ship bought by Leiden separatists in Holland. On July 22, 1620 the Speedwell sailed to Southampton, England to meet the Mayflower, which was chartered by their English investors. On September 16, 1620 the Mayflower sailed by itself to America. The Mayflower target was Virginia but currents took the ship north landing in Mass.
History is important to remember. How else are we going to keep from making the same mistakes over and over again, right?

This “independent” minded voyage was masked as a voyage for Britain but was truly a voyage made by Puritans who wanted to be separate and independent from Britain for religious reasons. That’s it. It is really that simple. It wasn’t the kings rule, or the taxes, or crowding that pushed these people to make a truly life threatening 66 day voyage to America…but it was that they needed religious freedom. It is our God given right to be able to express our worship and love to our Creator, we were made for this purpose whether we want to realize it or not. When this freedom is threatened or taken away…this is when you will see a people, enabled by God, do what is necessary to position themselves to be able to have this freedom.

My hope is that today we as Americans can truly reach back into our history and get an understanding of what this country is truly all about. Lives were lost to keep our freedoms. There was a time in our history when every single American was threatened by death for making the decision to form a new country – separate from Britain and with freedom to choose. As years go by, just like every civilization before us, we forget more and more about this countries foundation and the life giving, sacrificing hard work that it took to create this country. I think often that we are like a bunch of spoiled grandchildren running around the yard doing what we please and not realizing the consequences of our actions, not understanding that our very freedom must be protected and that freedom can be taken from us if we let it; ultimately understanding that freedom is given by our Creator.
Let me ask you…If you have kids and they decide one day that they are going to spray paint your new car, just because they have the freedom that moment to do so, and it might be neat to make the car another color; it might be better than before in their minds. Would you punish your kids for doing that? Would you take something away from them? Why would you want to correct them? Why do you know more about what is right and wrong in their actions? I would say that they would be punished or corrected in some way so that they learn from their mistake…right? The reason that you correct them is because you have more understanding, more knowledge, and you love them because they came from your body. They are a part of you. You don’t want them to do harm to themselves or others right?

With this in mind, do you think our Creator is just going to let us run around his yard doing what we please and us not have consequences for our actions? I believe we do know right from wrong. I believe God instilled that into each of us.

You have a choice every day how you want to live your day. This freedom to choose is really about choosing to do good or to do bad. We were not created by God to be drones without a choice but we have the opportunity, the free will, to choose to recognize our Creator or not. It is really that simple.

Love everyone, but you don’t have to love the bad decisions they make, right? These bad decisions can sometimes be what God calls sin, or they can lead to sin. We all make bad decisions, we all sin, and we all fail at something…usually every day. Does this mean that we don’t love each other? Of course it does not. God just asks that you forgive, that you repent – or make another decision or action that is different from the one you have been making that lead you to sin. Stop doing the thing that is bad for you. If you make these right decisions, or good decisions, God will bless you, help you, and be there for you. God wants to grow you into better understanding so that you can be a better parent, friend, co-worker and caretaker.

You have the freedom to choose. In return, you should afford the freedom to anyone else.

If you want to be one of the grand kids running around the yard doing what you please, then at some point God will intervene, whether you believe or not. God is our Father and He loves each of us and just as a parent wants to correct his child for the good of that child, God will do the same to us.

Have a happy 4th America. I hope you choose to thank God for our freedoms and you choose to do the right things with your freedom.