On this recent Fourth of July, I enjoyed some downtime with my family in Ocean City, NJ. The holiday was filled with fun and sun, culminating in a beautiful fireworks display over the boardwalk as patriotic songs rang out over the beachfront. Everywhere I looked, men, women, and children were dressed in red, white, and blue while the stars and stripes adorned virtually every available surface. What a joy it was to celebrate the gift we have been given to live in this land of liberty!
Because it is our 250th birthday, I am taking a deep dive into the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution by way of books, lectures, and other resources. It has been a thrilling and fascinating experience to gain a deeper understanding of the men and the ideas behind the founding of our country. While we can certainly discuss and debate the complexity of our origin story—the failures, sins, and weaknesses that are an inescapable part of the narrative—it is only right to celebrate the wisdom, the bravery, and the hand of Providence behind the establishment of the U.S.A.
One story that resonates with me is an account of William Ellery, one of the lesser-known Founding Fathers. By way of Rhode Island, he was a delegate to the Continental Congress and a member of the Sons of Liberty. As Mr. Ellery watched his fellow delegates prepare to sign the document containing our declaration of independence from British tyranny, he looked carefully to observe if there was any sign of hesitation on their faces. After all, they were effectively signing their own death warrants once this news reached the King. But rather than reticence or fear, Mr. Ellery noted that “undaunted resolution was displayed on every countenance” as one by one these brave founders signed this destiny-transforming document for our embryonic republic. These courageous men deserve our respect and appreciation.
When it comes to our lives as Christians, we have signed our names to a different declaration—not of independence but of radical dependence. The apostle Paul captures this declaration when he writes:
I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. (Galatians 2:20)
This declaration is the document upon which each of us writes our names when we come to Jesus in submissive faith. The eternal and glorious Son of God loved us and gave himself up for us on the cross, and we resolve to live for him rather than for ourselves. We trust him, rely on him, lean upon him—our dependence each day is on him alone. This is as radical a proposition as anyone could affix their name to, but it is our joy and honor to do so because we have come to know the Savior and Shepherd of our souls.
As we celebrate the milestone anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, let us thank God that he has given us this wonderful country, warts and all, as our home. And, as those whose true citizenship is in heaven, let us also reaffirm our dependence on the one who reigns over that blessed and coming country. Let us resolve afresh to live for him and for his glory in such a way that anyone observing our lives would declare, like Mr. Ellery, that “undaunted resolution” is displayed on our countenance as we seek to glorify the Lord Jesus with our lives. By his grace, through his sacrifice, all for our joy and to magnify the risen and reigning King—the liberator of our souls.