Echoes of Independence

By Dean Collins

What are your memories of the Fourth of July? I can’t pinpoint a first memory, but I distinctly remember sparklers being an exciting part of the celebration as a child. I have memories of a few picnics and sitting on the hood of the car and watching the local fireworks from a distance. I was in college when we celebrated our 200th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

I did a little research this morning on July Fourth celebrations. Here are a few interesting tidbits:

- After the declaration was signed, it was read publicly to each brigade, which prompted the firing of muskets and cannons.

- The Pennsylvania Evening Post, on July 5th, reported that on July 4, 1777, armed ships were decorated brightly with our patriotic colors, and that in the evening, there were bells ringing, cannons firing, and fireworks at this joyous celebration one year after the Declaration of Independence was signed.

- 1938 became the first year that July Fourth was a paid federal holiday  

While researching how Americans have celebrated the Fourth, I stumbled upon an article from 1968.

In the fall of 1967, my next oldest brother turned 18 in October, and by December he was fighting in Vietnam. By early 1968, he was shot twice and had a grenade explode near him. The third injury required significant time in a hospital bed in Vietnam and later in the Philippines. 

I have a distinct memory of all of this, including that there was great unrest about the war in America. In 1968, all the junior high students at my school marched out and sat in the grass to protest the war. We, of course, were just imitating what we had seen on TV. Even back then, media had an influence on us, and especially on young people.

Vietnam’s Tet Offensive on July 4, 1968, created mixed celebrations and protests in the United States. The New York Times reported that there were less Sousa parades and celebrations that year. A Gallop poll that July indicated that 36% of Americans believed the country had a “sick society.” In that poll, 48% of Americans believed the war was a big mistake. By the end of the summer, 53% believed the war was a mistake and only 35% believed the war was justified. And on July 4, 1968, there was a protest on the National Mall to address growing housing issues, especially for the poor.

 As we begin our celebrations for our 250th anniversary of the signing the Declaration of Independence, it seems that we have similar unrest in our country. The polling on support for our military involvement in the Iran war is similar to 1968. Recent polls indicate between 30% to 44% are in support of our involvement, 53% to 60% are opposed. And in recent days, concern about solving a US housing crisis is being debated. Nearly 60 years later, we celebrate our independence with many of the same issues. We live in a wonderful and free land which we celebrate. But we are far from perfect.

All this takes me back to my early memories of July Fourth. One thing I don’t remember was being encouraged by anyone to pray for our leaders. Yes, over the years, and especially this year, I have heard more encouragement to pray for our leaders, and there is scriptural precedent to do so. Not specific to the celebration of our independence but in general.

Here are the apostle Paul’s instructions to Timothy in 1 Timothy 2:

“First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.”

Note the groups we are told to pray for: all people, kings, and all who are in high positions. So, as we prepare our celebrations, may we first pray for all people, Christians and non-Christians, Democrats and Republicans, people in the USA, and people from the countries all around the world, which we are currently reminded of due to the World Cup. 

While we don’t have a king, we can pray for our president, for our state and local leaders, and for the kings and leaders of every nation. Our freedom in Christ demands that we pray for those near and far.  

Paul got even more specific that we pray for each other and for our leaders, “that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.” It seems clear that more prayer is needed because it seems that, percentage wise, we have a long way to go in seeing more peaceful, quiet, godly, and dignified attitudes and actions throughout our land and throughout the world.

Today, Father, we pause to repent for the many times we have ignored the instructions of scripture to pray for each other, for our leaders, and for the leaders of the world. Today we pray for our president, for his cabinet, for our military leaders, that they would be filled with wisdom by the Holy Spirit so that their decisions might reflect your kingdom values in every way. We pray that the leaders of every nation would come to know salvation through Christ and freedom from sin. We pray that your will be done on earth as it is in heaven in every church, every community, in every leader’s heart, and in every nation on earth. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Your Time with God’s Word
1 Timothy 2:1-6 ESV

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