Freedom and liberty for all!

04Jul
For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who is not partial and takes no bribe, who executes justice for the orphan and the widow, and who loves the strangers, providing them with food and clothing. You shall also love the stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt. You shall fear the Lord your God; him alone you shall worship; to him you shall hold fast, and by his name you shall swear. He is your praise; he is your God, who has done for you these great and awesome things that your own eyes have seen.
-Deuteronomy 10:17-21


In the Collect for July 4th we pray, “Lord God Almighty in whose name the founders of this country won liberty for themselves and for us, and lit the torch of freedom for nations then unborn: Grant that we and all people of this land may have grace to maintain our liberties in righteousness and peace!”


Our country was founded on freedom - freedom for ourselves and for others. We have been a light to other nations by our undying hope of acceptance. Where we have been other than this, we have not only not been whom our founders envisioned, we have not been whom God envisions us to be.


Each of us has a capacity for great good. God brought us into existence for that good. Extraordinarily, God chose us puny, fragile, vulnerable people to accomplish God’s purposes for good; for justice, for forgiveness and healing and wholeness. God has no one but us. God believes in us. God depends on us to help make this world all that God wants it to be.


We are to say we are sorry for those who we exclude and those who because of their race, or their sexual orientation, or because of what they do for a living or maybe because they have no living at all - we consider to be below us. Our country was built on and for freedom and liberty for all. If this 4th of July you are withholding that liberty or freedom from anyone, give it up. That will be much more a real celebration of what the the 4th of July is all about than the fireworks!


Musical Reflection - My American Heart - Lilli Lewis


Lord God Almighty, in whose Name the founders of this country won liberty for themselves and for us, and lit the torch of freedom for nations then unborn: Grant, we pray, that we and all the peoples of this land may have grace to maintain these liberties in righteousness and peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. 

Old TestamentPentecost Freedom

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