Dependence Upon God

Tomorrow the United States will be celebrating a crucial moment in the history of our nation - the signing of the Declaration of Independence. I want to start off today with a history lesson to lead up to what God has to say to us. This is kind of ironic in that history was one of my least favorite subjects in school. But as I have grown older, I have come to appreciate more of our country’s history and how it came to be. And as we look back at that event, we need to realize that it was a very dangerous decision for each man who dared to sign the Declaration of Independence.

In fact, as John Adams signed, he said, "Whether we live or die, sink or swim, succeed or fail, I stand behind this Declaration of Independence. And if God wills it, I am ready to die in order that this country might experience freedom."

It was that kind of patriotism which led men, armed with little more than hunting rifles, to engage in battle with what was then the most powerful nation in the world.

This decision to declare their independence from England was not easily nor hastily decided. Even though they lived in the colonies, they were English citizens & they felt they should enjoy the same rights & privileges that any free-born Englishman enjoyed back in England.

After all, it was their ancestors who, a few centuries earlier, had risen against the unjust & dictatorial rule of King John & forced him to sign the Magna Carta, the "Great Charter" establishing the rights of the common man & limiting the power of the King over them.

But over a period of a few years King George began to ignore all that as far as the American colonies were concerned. And it wasn't long until oppressive taxes & regulations were beginning to make their lives miserable.

Many of our forefathers paid a terrible price in the Revolutionary War, but finally they won the victory so that you & I might be citizens of this "land of the free & home of the brave."

But what we often forget is that in declaring their independence from England, our forefathers made an equally bold “Declaration of Dependence” upon Almighty God. Yes, that is what I said, in the very beginning of our nation, our forefathers boldly declared their dependence upon God.

But we weren't the first nation to do that. At another crucial moment in history, as the people of Israel were preparing to enter the land that God had promised to them, Moses told them,

"When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the Lord your God for the good land He has given you. Be careful that you do not forget the Lord your God..." (Deuteronomy 8:10-11)

And our Founding Fathers were careful to remember God. The 2nd paragraph of the Declaration of Independence begins with these words:

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."

Again, the closing words of their Declaration solemnly states: "With a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence (that's God), we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes & our sacred Honor."

It is important that we remember this clear declaration of their dependence upon God, because in a time of world turmoil today, it seems that strong efforts are being made not only to ignore, but even to eliminate any acknowledgement of the deep & abiding faith of our Founding Fathers, & of the God who gave this nation its birth & its greatness.

I love reading about Patrick Henry & George Washington & John Adams & Thomas Jefferson & John Jay & many of the other patriots who gave of themselves so valiantly that we might enjoy the freedoms that are ours. But we also need to be reminded of the solemn warning God gave to another nation, Israel, which was experiencing the thrill of independence after centuries of slavery in Egypt.

Although it was written over 3,400 years ago, this warning could very well apply to the United States today.

In Deuteronomy 8:7, Moses told the people, "For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land - a land with streams and pools of water… a land where bread will not be scarce and you will lack nothing ...

In vs. 10 he said, "When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the Lord your God for the good land He has given you.”

Then continuing on in vs's 11-14 Moses warned them: “Beware. . .lest, when you eat & are satisfied, when you build fine houses & settle down ... & all you have is multiplied, then your heart will become proud & you will forget the Lord your God..."