–By Scott Yates
Typically we will celebrate the Fourth of July, Independence Day, with fireworks, good home-cooked barbecue, and a national holiday. Because of the sacrifice of 225 years of patriots, we can gather here and worship God, we can gripe about our high taxes, and go to the polls and vote the scoundrels out of office, and live to tell about it. Our freedom is a rarity in the world.
In China, Christianity can be a death sentence–or more likely, it means a trip to a reeducation camp. In Sudan, Christians are sold as slaves. Please never forget that Christians are an endangered species in much of the world.
But as we celebrate the Fourth of July, say a prayer for those of our brothers and sisters throughout the world who do not have the freedoms we do, and who must worship in secrecy, and live in fear.
Regardless of their color or language or cultural heritage, they are as truly our brothers and sisters as our own flesh and blood. When it is said that blood is thicker than water, the blood we’re concerned with is the blood of Jesus Christ. It washes us all cleaner than snow, makes us perfect in the sight of God, and whether we’re black or white or brown or red, we are all His flock, and await the Master to come and gather us together and lead us beside the still waters of His sweet salvation.
On the day that each one of us bent our knees and bowed our heads to the One who is Faithful and True, for us, that was our true Independence Day. Our bodies may be broken by the lash, or nailed to the cross, but in Him we are supremely free.
Happy Independence Day!
SHARING
