6-25-20 Echoes of America Past
The Echoes of America Past :: by Holly Spate
As we prepare to celebrate this Fourth of July, let’s not forget all of those who went before us. Let’s remember every American who selflessly sacrificed so much, many at the cost of their lives so we could be free. Let’s remember our blessings and the Creator who bestowed them.
Let’s give thanks for all who helped build this country, remembering their hard work, their bravery, and their persistence in creating a country like no other.
May we never forget the lessons of the past nor those who put pen to paper with dreams and visions of a greater place than from which they came.
May our hearts hold dear those who, through toil, sweat and heartache, made enormous sacrifices for the collective good. And may we not forget those who painstakingly and with much wisdom fought for principles, fought for family, fought for religious freedoms… fought for all our liberties.
Let’s be thankful our ancestors were not a passive people, but patriots who dreamed big dreams and allowed us to partake in them. Let’s be both mindful and grateful for their passionate persistence in not giving up or letting go. And most importantly, let’s thank God Almighty for leading our founding fathers to create a nation that valued life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
Let’s be grateful for all the men and women who worked both independently and collectively… both in the past and the present…all for the common good. It is this patriotic spirit that has united. It is the drive for something better that has kept America strong and allowed it to grow. It is the generosity of so many giving of themselves that’s enabled every American citizen to be a part of something bigger than themselves. A gesture that has given every U.S. citizen the opportunity to be a part of the great American experiment…an experiment like no other.
But, with all blessing and opportunity comes great responsibility. And, with responsibility comes accountability. We each are blessed to call America home and, like those before us, we must do our part to preserve this great nation so that it can continue to be a place of freedom for generations to come.
America has never been perfect. Its people, like all people, have never been perfect. Its past has never been perfect. Perfection can never exist this side of heaven, but despite all of America’s imperfections, many blessings have flown from this great nation.
Unfortunately, however, the blessings are fading. Our America is changing. There are those who don’t and never will appreciate the incredible sacrifices made for them by those they’ve never met. There are those who use their freedoms to trample on the freedoms of others. There are those who will never take the time to learn from history. There are those who will never truly appreciate their freedoms, and too many who view their freedoms not as a gift of sacrifice, but rather one of entitlement.
America’s greatness is being forgotten, values are being devalued, the family unit is being broken, and morals are being mocked. There are those who actively seek to silence all truth. There are those who seek to rewrite our history…to disrespect, destroy and dismantle everything we hold dear. The America we call home is quickly being broken down and becoming unrecognizable before our very eyes.
Yes, once upon a time, our nation was blessed because we allowed God into our homes, our hearts, our schools, our government. Over time, however, we have sadly witnessed America turn its back and have watched as God has been unapologetically kicked out of the public square. We have seen rebellious, prideful hearts create their own idols and follow after their own desires. We have witnessed all kinds of depravity darkening America’s doorstep.
Any success America has had in the past, any greatness achieved is due solely to God’s gracious guidance and intervention. The truth is simple, yet hard for some to swallow:
America will never be great without God.
God has never needed America, but America has always needed God.
2 Chronicles 7:14 states this truth: “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”
As we prepare to celebrate this Fourth of July, let’s take a step back in time and be reminded of some wise words from those patriots who embraced the American dream and stood strong to preserve the ideals of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Let’s unite in prayer for our country and ask God to shed His grace and protection over us and to heal this once great land. And let’s never, ever forget that America’s blessings have been endowed by our Heavenly Father. America cannot survive without Him.
Happy 4th!
Dear America,
“You will never know how much it has cost my generation to preserve your freedom. I hope you will make a good use of it.”
“We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion… Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.”
“Liberty must at all hazards be supported. We have a right to it, derived from our Maker. But if we had not, our fathers have earned and bought it for us, at the expense of their ease, their estates, their pleasure, and their blood.” – John Adams
“The people…are the only sure reliance for the preservation of our liberty.” “The price of freedom is eternal vigilance.” – Thomas Jefferson
“Liberty may be endangered by the abuses of liberty as well as the abuses of power.”- James Madison
“Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom, must, like men, undergo the fatigues of supporting it.”- Thomas Paine
“Freedom is not a gift bestowed upon us by other men, but a right that belongs to us by the laws of God and nature.” – Benjamin Franklin
“Freedom prospers when religion is vibrant and the rule of law under God is acknowledged.” – Ronald Reagan
United We Stand,
Your Fellow Patriots
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