God sees. God remembers. God delights. An Independence Day Devotional.
A Few Words of Encouragement for Independence Day
Pastor Paul Boisvert, Lancaster First Assembly of God
I say of the holy people who are in the land, “They are the noble ones in whom is all my delight.” (Psalm 16:3)
This weekend we are celebrating the 245th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. This was followed by a great War for Independence. These events, coupled with the passing of the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights, have given us the unprecedented opportunity for self-government. We can elect the people we want to elect. And through these elected representatives, we can pass the laws we want to pass. This is a right and a privilege that we all cherish and hold dear.
Along with these rights and privileges also comes a responsibility. Our founders understood that a representative republic would naturally, and quickly, take on the character of the nation as a whole. If the people were virtuous, the laws and the government follow. And if the people lacked virtue, laws and government would soon reflect this as well.
Patrick Henry said it this way, “Bad men cannot make good citizens. It is when a people forget God that tyrants forge their chains.” He went on to write that, “Righteousness alone can exalt (America) as a nation. Reader! Whoever thou art, remember this; and in thy sphere practice virtue thyself, and encourage it on others… the great pillars of all government and social life; I mean virtue, morality, and religion.”
And George Washington famously said in his farewell address, “Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports. In vain would that man claim the tribute of Patriotism, who should labor to subvert these great pillars of human happiness.”
And Thomas Jefferson wrote, “God who gave us life gave us liberty. Can the liberties of a nation be secure when we have removed a conviction that these liberties are the gift of God? Indeed I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just, that His justice cannot sleep forever.”
Today, when we look at our country, it can be easy for the person of faith to become discouraged.
Many in the entertainment industry seem bent on exploring, glorying in, and normalizing new depths of depravity.
Many in the news media seem intent on stoking the fires of hatred and division as much as possible for the sake of ratings. After all, peace and harmony do not result in clicks on websites.
And in government (on all levels) it seems like the foundations are eroding. Bedrock principles that used to unite people across the political spectrum are increasingly coming into disfavor. Freedom of speech has, on occasion, been called dangerous. And there are those clamoring to put the free exercise of religion in a place of lower importance than other perceived rights.
It can be disheartening.
But I want to encourage you with this verse from the Psalms today. I say of the holy people who are in the land, “They are the noble ones in whom is all my delight.” (Psalm 16:3)
Israel had its ups and downs with God as well, sometimes ablaze in spiritual fervor, and at other times sunken in the depths of idolatry. But God gives us this enduring principle. Whether we are in the midst of a Great Awakening, or in the grip of a great apostasy… He delights in whoever is noble and holy in the land. He takes note of those who maintain faith and integrity during times of faithlessness and godlessness.
Consider two examples from Scripture:
Baruch
In Jeremiah, chapter 45, God had a special word for a little-known man named Baruch. He was Jeremiah’s scribe. He wasn’t an important person. He wasn’t a prophet or an official in the king’s government. Just an administrative assistant, faithfully writing down the words of the prophet. But this association with Jeremiah was getting him in trouble. The king issued an order to arrest not only Jeremiah but Baruch as well. Both he and Jeremiah had to go into hiding (Jer. 36). And in this short chapter, Jeremiah first shows us Baruch’s pain, sorrow and anguish. But he ends with a word of encouragement. “But wherever you go I will let you escape with your life” (Jer. 45:5b).
Things looked bad. The people were corrupt and God’s judgment seemed immanent. But in the middle of all that, God seems to say, “I still see the holy people who are in the land. I still delight in them. I won’t forget them.”
Lot
In 2Peter, chapter 2, Peter calls attention to the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, two cities that were so given over to wickedness that God sent fire from heaven to destroy them. But Peter points out that God, “rescued Lot, a righteous man, who was distressed by the depraved conduct of the lawless” (2Pet. 2:7). He goes on to say that Lot, “…was tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard.” (2Pet. 2:8)
God rescued Lot. And Peter says, “If this is so, then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials and to hold the unrighteous for punishment on the day of judgment.” (2Pet. 2:9)
God again seems to be saying, “I still see the holy people who are in the land. I still delight in them. They don’t get swept away in judgment. Rather, they are rescued by God Almighty.
So this Independence Day I encourage you -- Continue on in faithfulness to God. Continue engaging in and promoting the righteous and holy behaviors that serve as pillars for our society and freedoms. As you do, God will see. God will delight in you. God will remember you.