The Great Anniversary Festival

A great number of people will celebrate Independence Day here in the United States this weekend. July 4^th is a federal holiday commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on this day in the year 1776. It was declared by the Continental Congress that the thirteen American colonies regarded themselves as a new nation, The United States of America, and no longer a part of the British Empire.

For some it is just a day to have a picnic and get together with family and friends or go to carnivals, fairs, baseball games etc. Others attend parades, political speeches and ceremonies highlighting the history, government and traditions of our country, a National Day of the United States.

 After voting for independence, Congress turned to writing the Declaration of Independence, a statement explaining this decision, which had been prepared by a Committee of Five, with Thomas Jefferson as its principal author. A day before the signing of this document, John Adams had written to his wife Abigail: “ . . .I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. 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 forevermore.” (From history found in Wikipedia.org)

We are so blessed to be part of this great nation. And it is good to remember and celebrate. In this day and age we sometimes forget that Biblical principals were the foundation upon which our nation was founded. It was really interesting to me to read the words of John Adams that July 4^th should be commemorated as the day of deliverance. The people of this time period were burdened with taxation and oppression from England and wanted to be free. So this was a great victory to be released as a people to govern themselves in their own country. Even more important to many was the freedom to worship in the faith of their choosing and not the Church of England that had the king or queen as its official head.

I had to think of this in the spiritual sense. Because of Adam's sin, we are all burdened with the sin nature and need a Savior. The day we accept Christ as our Savior is our day of deliverance. Romans 6:17-18 tells us, “But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness.” Colossians 1:13-14 “For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”

John Adams then said we should celebrate with solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty! How do we do this? At first I thought the words, celebrate and solemn, don't seem to go together. When I first looked in the dictionary at the word solemn, these synonyms were what I was thinking of: serious, grave, sober, somber, stern, grim, dour, humorless. But then I read another meaning with these words: dignified, ceremonious, ceremonial, stately, formal, courtly, majestic”! I think this is what John Adams had in mind. When I really thought about this question, How do we celebrate with solemn acts of devotion?, the answer came to me – worship!

Worship is to have or show a strong feeling of respect and admiration for God; worship is an act of religious devotion usually directed towards a deity. The purpose of our worship is to glorify, honor, praise, exalt, and please God. Our worship must show our adoration and loyalty to God for His grace in providing us with the way to escape the bondage of sin, so we can have the salvation He so much wants to give us.

Our worship should be humble: James 4:6, “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord and He will lift you up.”

John 4:23-24, “ . . .true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth, for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is a spirit and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth.”

Our worship is also for our own edification and strength: Philippians 2:5, “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ.” Romans 12:2, “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”

Worship should be joyful: Psalm 95:1-3, “Oh come, let us sing to the Lord; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!” Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise! For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods.”

So this July 4^th or whenever you get together with your friends and family, celebrate our great country and the freedoms we enjoy. But also think of the great gift we as Christians have been given, deliverance from sin and a Savior that loves us so much he died for us. And celebrate with solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty!