My Declaration of Dependence

In elementary and high school, I hated history classes. History was boring. Maybe it was how it was taught.   Of the teachers who made school interesting or dare I say fun, none were history teachers. Maybe the problem was what was being taught. Thinking back, which is now WAY back, I never saw or felt a connection between history and my life.

Of course, maybe it was just me.

For most of my school career I was a pretty good student. However, by my senior year, the wheels had come off my life. My priorities and attitudes were out of whack. At that point, I simply did not care about learning and barely graduated. I was not very interested in politics. I did not even vote until my late twenties and not consistently until after I got married.

Sadly, my indifference to our nation’s history in the 80’s is currently a national epidemic.

A recent survey said that 2 out of 3 Americans could not pass the U.S. Citizenship test given to immigrants.  And the passing grade is only 60%!

Since the early 90’s I have done a decent job of playing catch up to the miracle that is the United States of America, which started with the vision, courage and self-sacrifice of the 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence.

Before signing, they knew they were about to lose everything to gain only one thing, freedom. In the last paragraph of the Declaration of Independence, they wrote, “We mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor”. They knew if they won, they faced years of hardship. If they lost, they would be hung because King George labeled them traitors. Basically, when they signed that wonderful document, besides taking a vow of poverty, they personally signed their own death warrant. All of them lived a hard life and paid a very a high price so that I may live a free one.

In honor of them, this is my Declaration of Dependence on the Constitution and Bill of Rights, written by our nation’s founders, for the natural freedoms I enjoy in my great country. Without the enforcement of those documents, I lose the very freedom given to me by the sacrifices of so many.

I believe our Founding Fathers were pursing God’s will for all people to live an abundant life under His loving care and protection as our one True King. “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness” is one of the best know lines from the Declaration of Independence and mirrors the heart of God.

“And this is the way to have eternal life-to know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the One You sent to earth.” (John 17:3)

“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.” (2 Corinthians 3:17)

“Happy are the people who are in such a state; Happy are the people whose God is the Lord.” (Psalm 144:15)

God’s perfect gift of life, liberty and happiness came at a high price - through the cross of Jesus. He knew from the beginning of the world He would send His Son to be punished and sacrificed on a cross to do something for me which I could not do on my own.  I depend on Jesus for forgiveness of sin. I depend on Him for eternal life. I depend on Him for liberty from guilt. I depend on Him for happiness that comes from my relationship with God. I depend on God’s grace.

This is my Declaration of Dependence on the One Who gave His life for me.