Let all the earth fear the LORD: let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him. For he spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast. The LORD bringeth the counsel of the heathen to nought: he maketh the devices of the people of none effect. The counsel of the LORD standeth for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations. Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance.
Psalm 33:8-12
On the 1st of July, 1776, Congress took up the resolution presented by Richard Henry Lee of Virginia to declare independence from England. The next day, July 2nd, Congress approved the measure, although the final wording was not ready until July 4th. John Adams noted the vote in a letter to his wife Abigail:
The second day of July 1776 will be the most memorable epoch in the history of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations from one end of this continent to the other from this time forward forevermore.
From the very beginning of our nation, America’s founders recognized that God plays a crucial role in the rise and fall of nations. Adams, who would go on to serve as our second president, called for celebration of the momentous occasion only after calling for “acts of devotion” to demonstrate gratitude for God.
What Adams wrote 250 years ago is still true today. The blessings of liberty we enjoy as Americans—greater than those experienced by much of the world throughout history—are not merely the result of wise leaders or a carefully designed government. They are ultimately gifts from God. We should never cease to thank Him for His gracious hand upon our nation, and we should never cease to seek Him, for “blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord.”
