Spotlight
Browse by Date
- May 2012
- March 2012
- January 2012
- December 2011
- November 2011
- October 2011
- August 2011
- June 2011
- May 2011
- April 2011
- March 2011
- February 2011
- November 2010
- October 2010
- August 2010
- June 2010
- May 2010
- April 2010
- March 2010
- February 2010
- December 2009
- October 2009
- September 2009
- August 2009
- July 2009
- June 2009
- May 2009
- April 2009
- March 2008
Celebrating Freedom
On April 23, 1891 a 24 page hand-written book was purchased at a public auction in Philadelphia. Records do not show the price of that book – but it is valuable because of its author. The book is entitled The Daily Sacrifice. It was a book of daily prayers. Here are just a couple examples:
Pardon, I beseech Thee, my sins. Remove them from Thy presence as far as the East is from the West, and accept me for the merits of Thy Son, Jesus Christ.
Remit my transgressions, and cover them with the absolute obedience of Thy dear Son, Jesus Christ, offered upon the cross for me.
I humbly beseech Thee to be merciful to me in the free pardon of my sins, for the sake of Thy dear Son, my only Savior, Jesus Christ, who came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
These were written by George Washington at age 20 – an age at which many find little time for communication with God and show little respect for His Church. Yet these prayers reveal a bit of Washington’s faith in Jesus and his gratitude for the grace of God that brought him into God’s kingdom.
When people become citizens of the United States they renounce loyalty to the lands of their birth and swear allegiance to the Stars and Stripes. In some cases it means a move from tyranny and dictatorship to the assurance of rights and freedoms in the land of the free. They are happy to be a part of what makes the United States of America what it is.
We are proud to call George Washington the Father of our Country. We are thankful for his efforts and sacrifice in leading the colonies to independence – and event we will celebrate on July 4th. But it also appears that Washington was dedicated to his relationship with God and gave his allegiance to God’s Kingdom of Grace.
What an example for us as we celebrate the birthday of our Country. We are citizens not only of our great land because of the sacrifice of others, but also citizens of God’s eternal kingdom because of the sacrifice of God’s Son, our Savior. St. Paul put it this way: God has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son. (Colossians 1:13)
As we celebrate this year, may we know that our political freedom and even more importantly our spiritual freedom did not come easily. May we use our freedoms so they will be a true blessing to us and to our fellow citizens. We were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. (Galatians 5:13)
In Christ’s service,
Pastor Jabs
- Adapted
