God of liberty and justice, as we celebrate our nation’s Independence Day, we are grateful for our heritage and concerned for our future.

We are thankful for the privilege of living in “the land of the free and the home of the brave.” We are thankful for those who came before us paving the way for unrivaled liberties that allow us to freely make choices about our work, our worship, our convictions, and our lifestyle. We are indebted to past and present veterans who risked life and limb in the pursuit and protection of these freedoms.

From the “mountains to the prairies” we are inspired by some of the most majestic and diverse scenery on our planet. From “sea to shining sea” we are privileged to enjoy a treasure trove of natural resources. We have access to comfortable housing, above average healthcare, a diverse wardrobe, an expansive menu of our favorite foods, and personal digital devices that provide communication and entertainment. We are certainly blessed beyond our deserving.

During this season of celebration we are grateful, yet concerned….concerned about our nation, concerned about our world, and concerned about the future.

From our many different perspectives and ideologies we are concerned about things like the threats of terrorism, the brutalities of war, the abuse of political power, the divisiveness by misleading and untruthful political rhetoric from both major parties, a lack of civil discourse, a growing sense of moral ambivalence, and the ever present possibility of a natural disaster.

These concerns lead to heightened anxiety about the cost of our insurance, the stability of our economy, and the tenure of our employment. And we confess that these anxieties often distract us from our mission to “minister to the least of these,” and to “love mercy, act justly, and walk humbly” with you.

These concerns and anxieties also remind us of our need to confess our sins, personally and corporately. We confess that we have taken our freedom for granted too frequently and we have too often been negligent in living up to the responsibilities of our citizenship. We confess that at times we are too quick to judge and even quicker to criticize. We confess that we are slow to pray for our leaders, slow to intercede for our neighbors, and even slower to trust in your leadership.

We also confess that our self-interests have too often taken priority over the best interest you have in mind for our nation and for our world. We confess that we have been irresponsible in our stewardship of “our space and our stuff,” often consuming and storing compulsively without conscious regard for sharing with generosity. We confess that we have too often trusted in our own initiatives and ingenuity more than we have trusted in you.

You tell us in an ancient but relevant scripture that, “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 will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” (II Chronicles 7:14)

As we celebrate this Independence Day, we ask you to forgive our sin and to heal our land. On this day, we pray for the leaders of our nation, our state, and our community that they will lead with wisdom, courage, and integrity.

We pray for the men and women who serve in our military that they will fulfill their mission effectively and return home safely and soon.

We pray for our enemies that their swords and ours will be “turned into plowshares,” even as we long for that day when the “lion will lie down alongside the lamb.”

We pray for the churches, cathedrals, and temples of our community and our world that they will be lighthouses of grace and peace, ever pressing toward the mark of your high calling.

Because you are the freedom-loving God, lead us to exercise our freedom responsibly and to pursue “liberty and justice for all” people, without discrimination.

We pray in the strong name of the One who came to make us free, indeed. Amen.

But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!  Amos 5:24 NIV

During our recent Vacation Bible School I observed our students standing attentively as they belted out , “I pledge allegiance to the flag…”. We often recite these words in classrooms and at civic gatherings. When we pronounce the pledge, is it merely an obligatory ritual or do we listen attentively to all of the words and take them seriously? The last words of the pledge are perhaps some of the most counter-cultural words of commitment we can speak: “…with liberty and justice for all.”

Our ancestors envisioned a nation wherein liberty and justice would be for all people. For some, however, “liberty” has been reduced to a license for self-centeredness and “justice” has been diminished to mere retaliatory or punitive action.

Although dictionaries routinely define liberty as “the state of being free,” liberty involves much more. The historical American concept of liberty is not that one is free to do as one pleases without accountability for the consequences of one’s actions. Rather, our heritage of liberty means that we are not owned or enslaved by another person or power. We enjoy individual and corporate freedom within the boundaries of ethical and moral responsibility. True liberty calls on us to express ourselves with civility, and to respect the rights of those who think differently to do the same.

Justice is commonly perceived as “the assignment of merited rewards or punishment.” But the Old Testament prophets, especially Amos, knew that justice is much more than being affirmed for right behavior or punished for bad behavior. Justice strives to create viable opportunities for all persons to succeed economically, vocationally, and socially. Real justice seeks to create opportunities for the disadvantaged. The Bible gives us many examples of the disadvantaged: the poor, widows, orphans, the sick, strangers, the hungry, the homeless, and those in prison.

In our Pledge of Allegiance we commit our lives to the pursuit of “liberty and justice for all.” The phrase “for all” is inclusive, not discriminatory. “For all” means we aim to provide and protect liberty and justice for all individuals regardless of gender, race, economic status, political ideology, or religious background. To preserve liberty and justice for the privileged few is indicative of a shallow theology and an uninformed patriotism.

While you and I are blessed to enjoy the privileges of freedom, many around our world still live under tyranny and can only dream of liberty and justice. Therefore, on the July 4th we celebrate our independence, even as we pledge ourselves to continue to work for liberty and justice for all persons in the future.

Liberty and justice are not just political ideals. They are social tenets which affirm intrinsic human worth, and spiritual values which reflect the image of our Creator, ultimately experienced through the liberty we find in Christ. John 8:32 declares, “You will know the truth and the truth will set you free,” and Amos 5:24 urges, “Let justice roll on like a river.”

In order to truly “let freedom ring,” we must work together to “let justice roll!”