Happy Independence Day! I am grateful for our nation, for the freedoms we have enjoyed, especially for the freedom to worship the Lord according to His word.
We have a national anthem, which I sing with gusto. But there are some other songs that I love perhaps even more that express my heart’s desire for the United States. “America, America, God shed His grace on thee, And crown thy good with brotherhood From sea to shining sea.” “God Bless America, Land that I love. Stand beside her And guide her Through the night with a light from above.”
I want God to bless America. I wish that America was a land that God could continue to pour His blessings out upon. He has blessed us with so much for so many years. We continue to enjoy those blessings.
But if we use God’s blessing only for our own pleasures, can we really expect those blessing to continue? God warned the leaders of Israel against assuming that His blessings were only for their own benefit. His intention was that His blessings would be passed on to others, so that all would be blessed. (Read Ezekiel 34:17-22)
Let us use the freedoms and blessings of the Lord for His purposes, and not just for our own benefit.
Pass it on! Pass God’s blessings on to others, for His glory!
Pastor John
