Regardless of the yardstick you use to define what blessed is, America still measures up. 

Freedom, courage, vision.

We are a melting pot of cultures, peoples, and ideals.  Our democratic republic was an experimental idea that invoked smirks from some, disdain from others, and hope to many more.

 Almost 250 years later, and it’s still working.

We are blessed.

Our Founders dared to dream of a government where the people could rule: a place where any person could strive to be more, work hard, and rise above.

Do you realize that you and I are mentioned in the Constitution? Right here in the Preamble where the Founders recorded their intention to:

 “… secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity…”

Posterity means you and me!

Those who wrote those words put life, liberty, honor, and financial security on the line to make them a reality. Each generation since has stepped up to do the same. Our blessings of liberty are secure so long as collectively we are willing to defend them – to the death, if need be. That means even defending the right of another to speak nonsense and foolishness, to disagree with what we believe, and to squander even the privilege to speak. Those who sacrifice for liberty are defending the individual right to speak or not speak, and to do or not do.

Those who sacrifice for liberty are defending the individual right to speak or not speak, and to do or not do. Click To Tweet

Blessed is our nation. Blessed are we as citizens of this nation.

Psalm 33:12 says: Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord…

Reaping the fruits provided by the sacrifices of others brings a lot of happy to our lives. If blessing is defined as “happiness upon happiness,” then ultimate blessing to us as citizens individually, and to us as a nation corporately, can only be fully realized when we bow to God Almighty.

Perhaps the divide we see in our nation proves this point. Getting a specific bill passed, getting a certain candidate elected, lobbying and debating to persuade and posture for a key position to garner political points – it’s all so tiresome and temporary. Short-term happy can never ever bring eternal blessing.

So – yes. Let’s pause this 4^th of July to celebrate America. Let’s wave our flags, watch the parades, and clap for the fireworks. You might even adopt our family’s tradition and read the Declaration of Independence aloud with gusto.

How can we expect our nation corporately to make God our Lord if we as individuals fail to bow to Him? Click To Tweet

But let’s also take a moment to reflect on who we are, how we got here, and maybe where we need to be: both individually and corporately. We’re still happy, but are we blessed in the true, deep, Old Testament ashri sense of being blessed?

How can we expect our nation corporately to make God our Lord if we as individuals fail to bow to Him? If you claim Jesus as your Savior, how do you prove that faith by bowing to Him as LORD?

Blessed are the citizens of the nation whose God is the Lord.

Are you and I settling for happy when blessing awaits?