Independence

The definition of independence is, freedom from dependence on or control by another person, organization, or state. We just celebrated the 4th of July or Independence Day. Why do we do that? It’s just another day on the calendar. Or is it? As you all know, on July 4th 1776 we declared independence from Great Britain. Here is a little known fact, we declared independence on July 2nd but we didn’t celebrate until the 4th. Just think, there were 217,000 people in America, 4,435 men were reported dead and 6,188 men were reported wounded. Also remember that most of the wounded men died shortly after being wounded because medicine was really low quality back then. Hard to believe that so many men died just so you and I could be free. But here is a thought; there was another man who died to make all men free. One man died for trillions of men, and he didn’t even have to. He did it out of love, love for you, and love for me. John 3:16 says “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, that whosoever believeth on him shall not perish but have ever lasting life.” Our soldiers made us free to live in America, Jesus made us free to live in heaven. As the Battle Hymn of the republic says
“In the beauty of the lilies Christ was born across the sea, with a glory in his bosom he transfigures you and me, As He died to make men holy let us die to make men free, while God is marching on”.
Even though that was a civil war song it still holds true. As Winston Churchill said “Never was so much owed by so many to so few”. He said that during WW2,but that also is still true today. These men died for us. They died so we might be able to do something great, and we did. For the last 200 years we have been a nation under God, inadvisable with liberty and justice for all.
God bless America, the land that I love.
Josh Marin