Our nation doesn’t need more freedoms. Our true source of freedom is found in Jesus Christ, and Him alone. What our nation needs most is satisfaction in Him. “But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness.” (Romans 6:17-18) It is this freedom that will keep us striving toward God. He has freed us and given us his Spirit. Who are we to say no to Him? We need to daily realize the depth of our sin and how much we need Him so we can allow God to overwhelm us and give us a greater appreciation for all that He has done for us out of His great and steadfast love and mercy. “Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!” We as a people need to turn back to Him. He needs to be our refuge daily. We have all that we need in Him.
That said, I am very thankful for those who have been willing to lay down their lives for this wonderful country of ours, where we are free to worship whom we choose and how we choose. Your sacrifice means a whole lot more to us than we probably give you credit for. Enjoy Memorial Day this year, realizing that others can’t.
More importantly, this Memorial Day, don’t ever loose sight of the ultimate sacrifice for you. Before Jesus died, he prayed to God and said, “Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” He didn’t want to go through such a death, but out of His love, He endured it for us. His sacrifice is one that is often taken too lightly. We need to feel the weight of the cross, because it was our death that He died. The wages of our sin is death, and we need to be daily awakened to the depth of this truth. “For one will scarcely die for a righteous person- though perhaps for a good person one would even dare to die- but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:7-8
Our nation may be in a decline, but there is good news today. Jesus Christ has already won; He conquered, and we can now live in Him! May our hope and satisfaction be in Him alone! Revive us, O God!
“Restore us again, O God of our salvation, and put away your indignation toward us! Will you be angry with us forever? Will you prolong your anger to all generations? Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you? Show us your steadfast love, O Lord, and grant us your salvation.” Psalm 85:4-7
