God Bless America! Almighty God, We DEPEND on YOU!

It's the day we've been waiting for.....cookouts (in our case, a fish fry -- yum), fun, games AND.....fireworks -- either man-handling them ourselves, or sitting back and relaxing as we watch the red, white and blue bursts of fire and lights!

I have such fond memories of 4th of July celebrations at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas where they had the most spectacular fireworks' shows, the family reunions that concluded with a slew of fireworks at the lake, along with the "chasers" that chased my Mama down the street! She nearly broke her neck running like a wild woman! LOL!

There’s nothing wrong with celebrating Independence Day. After all, that’s what our forefathers did, too. But, this year, like never before, I’m realizing that though our Country's INDEPENDENCE meant our freedom from England's rule, I realize how much we need to be DEPENDENT on God. Our forefathers sought Him for His divine will to be done, and shouldn't we seek Him too?

Democracy and freedom were born 240 years ago, July 4th 1776 -- freedoms we so often take for granted. No wonder so many mistreated, disenfranchised people want to leave their oppressed homelands to come to the “land of the free and the home of the brave”.

At the first Constitutional Convention, the delegates were frustrated. There was a tremendous crisis. They were so fragmented that they were just about to throw out the whole concept of a constitution completely. Just then Benjamin Franklin rose to his feet and said: "Gentlemen, if it is true that not one single petal from any flower falls to the ground without escaping God’s attention, will the distress of this nation go unheeded? Let us therefore determine to seek His face." They promptly got down on their knees and when they arose from prayer, the slogan, “e pluribus unum” was born: “One out of many”!

What can we do to ensure that America continues to be a beacon of hope, liberty and freedom? We can pray for our nation and DEPEND on His sovereignty, guidance and blessings.

We have been a blessed nation -- materially, geographically, educationally, and technologically. We are blessed because we have been a nation whose heroes paid a high price for our freedoms. Men and women throughout the history of our Country have given their lives to make this Country what it is - free and independent. God's Word teaches us specifically what a Nation is to do in order to receive and continue in God's blessings.

2 Chronicles 7:14 “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 heal their land and forgive their sins.”

Psalm 33:12 “Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD.

Almighty God, like our forefathers who DEPENDED on You for their crises to end, so we pray today for this United States of America and that you would intervene so that your purposes and plans for our Country will be fulfilled. Almighty God, we declare today, our DEPENDENCE on You. Amen.

GOD BLESS AMERICA!