Along the pathway to independence.

Let’s do some word association … I say ‘independence’, you say ___?

independence … day

independence … freedom

independence … emancipation

independence … liberty

independence … self-reliance

Americans just celebrated Independence Day, commemorating America’s independence from Great Britain’s tyranny (though most just call it Fourth of July now).  John Adams said this to his wife, Abigail, about the day,

       “It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forever more.”  (This would be a good place for me to beat the drum of America being founded on Christian principles, but that is not the intent of this Morning Briefing!  John Adams wrote this when he was vice president of the U.S., and would soon be the second president of the United States.)

In my town, it seems like everyone, and their brother and their cousins from the Inland Empire, make their way to the beach.  This year, rather than staking out my postage-stamp size place, I just walked several miles of the beach late in the afternoon and took in all of the sights and sounds.  ‘Had some random thoughts about it all:

This was a day set aside to celebrate our independence and yet I saw so many drunk people that I thought, ‘now just how independent are they?’  I saw folks standing behind bathrooms smoking, because it is illegal to smoke on our beaches … how free are they?  I heard a pretty young lady say to the guy walking next to her, “I usually just drink til I pass out.”  When I got passed them, I turned around to look and thought, ‘oh man, she really just said that—just a casual, matter-of-fact comment.’  (Hear me correctly—I am standing in condemnation of these folks, just concerned about those who are held captive by what they can’t seem to control)

Independence … from what, for what?  Originally, Europeans made their way to our shores to escape religious persecution and tyranny.  For the most part, we are able to worship God freely in America.  thank you, God!  And yet, we have taken that freedom for granted.  I hear regularly from believers around the world who do not have that freedom—last week, a minister friend in Pakistan requested prayer, and attached pictures of a Muslim convert to Christianity who had been shot seven times because of his faith in Jesus Christ.  How will he support his family now?   Almost daily folks carefully request to be added to the distribution of these briefings, (‘carefully’ because doing so could cause severe punishment).  Are you aware of the persecution followers of Jesus Christ are facing in India, Myanmar (Burma), Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Iran, China and Nigeria, to name a few countries?  (Just as an FYI—many people in predominantly-Muslim or Hindu nations are hostile to the term “Christian” because they see it as synonymous with “America” which they see as the portal to a great many evils in their societies.  Many want to know about Jesus—in fact, are hungry for Jesus, but are confused by ‘Christian’, since we call America a Christian nation.  Hmmm . . .) 

I am so thankful I can worship God freely, brandish my Bible anywhere, and speak of my faith openly without using hushed tones.  I do not want to ever take this freedom for granted. 

As for those who are not experiencing personal freedom because they are bound to nicotine, alcohol, food, sex, guilt, shame or even worry, I just wish they could be set free.  I wish they could see themselves clearly, and then seek freedom from what binds them.  I think of what Jesus said, ‘If the Son has set you free, you will be free indeed!’1  And I can just picture the scene when Jesus stood up in the synagogue in Nazareth, rolled out the parchment from Isaiah, and read, ‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he has sent me . . . to set the oppressed free …Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.’2  The Freedom Maker had come! 

He still comes to you and me—offering us freedom . . . freedom from what binds us, freedom FROM ourselves, not to be self-reliant, but God-reliant.  Where do you find yourself today along the pathway to independence?  Set us free, Jesus!  We want to be free indeed.

Christine

podcast:

1  John 8.36

2   Luke 4.18-21