Monday, July 1, 2013
Deuteronomy 8:10 Praise the LORD your God for the good land he has given you.
THANK GOD FOR YOUR GOVERNMENT
In three days we will observe another July 4th holiday. There will be much celebrating going on among the citizenry of our land. There will be fireworks displays , parades, enthusiastic flag-waving. Friends and families will gather for picnics and cookouts, laughing together and enjoying each other's company. All because of an event that happened on July 4, 1776, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the day our founding fathers signed the Declaration of Independence proclaiming the United States of America to be a free and sovereign nation.
We are truly blessed to be citizens of America. We enjoy rights and privileges which citizens of many countries of the world can only dream about. As we celebrate this week let's remember to lift our hearts in thanksgiving to our benevolent God for this part of the "daily bread" He has supplied to us in His undeserved love.
It's true, our United States government isn't perfect (far from it). Not all who have occupied positions of authority in government have served well. But there have been many gifted, capable, God-fearing leaders through our nation's history whom our Father has provided, who have governed our nation with devotion and dedication, and through whom He has supplied countless benefits for our lives as we journey as Christian pilgrims towards that eternal heavenly country our Savior has prepared for us and all of His believers.
Peace, prosperity, and health,
Private bliss, and public wealth,
Knowledge with its gladdening streams,
True religion's holier beams,
Lord, for these our souls shall raise
Grateful vows and solemn praise.
(The Lutheran Hymnal, 572:3)
