In the last known letter he ever wrote, a gravely ill Thomas Jefferson reflected on the Declaration of Independence and the approaching fiftieth anniversary of that momentous document. He wrote:
May it be to the world, what I believe it will be … the signal of arousing men to burst the chains and to assume the blessings and security of self-government … to the unbounded exercise of reason and freedom of opinion. All eyes are opened, or opening, to the rights of man … For ourselves, let the annual return of this day forever refresh our recollections of these rights, and an undiminished devotion to them.
The Fourth of July has always been a day of parades, fireworks, family picnics, patriotic songs, and marches. But it must also be, as Jefferson wished, a time of serious reflection on what America means and a time of thanksgiving for God’s extraordinary blessings on our great republic.
We often forget what a radical, revolutionary document it was that “burst the chains” and provided for self-government. Over the past 231 years, our nation has been blessed like no other on Earth. After all, our purpose was rooted in God’s purpose. Our laws were rooted in “Nature’s God” and in our recognition that all people enjoy a special dignity having been made in the image of God. Consistent with that recognition, the Declaration of Independence affirmed that our Creator endows each of us with “certain unalienable rights.”
Freed from ancient shackles and old approaches, America’s experiment in government of, by, and for the people has succeeded like no other. In a nation where opportunity is bounded only by the size of one’s dreams and the efforts of one’s labor, America has created a higher standard of living for a larger portion of her people than any other nation on earth.
We lead the world in commerce and industry. In the course of a single century, we lifted from the earth at Kitty Hawk and landed on the Moon with the Apollo 11 spacecraft. Our medical research is curing dreaded diseases and extending life, while our major medical centers draw people from throughout the world. Our farms feed our nation and provide for many others in times of drought and disaster. Our country has rebuilt Europe after two wars, fed and clothed the poorest nations, provided capital for businesses and electrical power to fuel them, and built schools and hospitals. Our technology and communications have created a thriving global market place, dramatically raising the standard of living in many countries in addition to our own.
With all the problems and temptations that affluence can often bring, we remain a land of good, loving, and generous families. We still respect those in uniform and proudly salute our flag. Families still attend church together and bow their heads before meals to thank God for his abundant blessings.
Liberal commentators are quick to report that America is hated. She well may be, but it is a hatred born of envy. As we see so clearly on our southern border, America is still the dream and destination for people who want to live in freedom and obtain a better life for their children.
In the Book of Joshua (4:19-24) we read that after the Israelites had left their bondage behind, crossed the Jordan, and entered the land of Canaan, they then paused to reflect on their situation. Their first act was to erect a pile of stones as a monument so that those who would come later might know "that the hand of the LORD is powerful and so that you might always reverence the LORD your God."
Our nation’s founding documents stand in a sense like a monument of stones. When we read those documents, learn about the lives of those who wrote them, or consider our national history, we become profoundly aware of God’s loving providence and his shower of blessings on our land. Let us never forget the stones on which our national house has been built.
May God bless you and your entire family this Fourth of July, and may God continue to bless America, land that I love.
Our nation’s founding documents stand in a sense like a monument of stones. When we read those documents, learn about the lives of those who wrote them, or consider our national history, we become profoundly aware of God’s loving providence and his shower of blessings on our land. Let us never forget the stones on which our national house has been built.
May God bless you and your entire family this Fourth of July, and may God continue to bless America, land that I love.
