On
Independence Day last week I reread the Declaration of Independence and
discovered a few noteworthy parallels to finding Refuge in God.
The 56
signers of the document believed it necessary to take the step of declaring a
new direction to "mutually pledge
to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor." They approached the signing as a deliberate
and calculated response to injustice
and tyranny. After listing the specific infractions they state, "In every stage
of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms:
Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince
whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit
to be the ruler of a free people."
Years of history led to these developments. Undoubtedly, the colonists were not totally innocent of
infractions themselves.
Stepping
out required declarations in three areas I will call dependence, separation,
and commitment. First, in declaring
independence from a tyrannical earthly ruler, they were declaring dependence
on a sovereign God they agreed to trust with their fate. Besides the implied nobility of serving a
cause much bigger than any of their individual efforts could manage, two explicit references to God are included in
the document. At the very beginning
they write, "When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for
one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with
another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal
station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent
respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes
which impel them to the separation." By distinguishing between the "laws of nature" and
"of nature's God," they acknowledge both a natural and supernatural
realm of existence. Both are important
to recognize, and one is under the other.
The God of nature rules as he wishes. In fact, God's rule must be
recognized and respected in order for humans to demonstrate a respect for
nature. The very last sentence states,
"And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the
protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives,
our Fortunes and our sacred Honor."
Not only is divine providence mentioned, the entire Declaration exists
"with firm reliance on" divine providence. This is significant
because not only were the representatives of the first 13 states of the USA
declaring their independence from an earthly Prince, but they were declaring
their dependence on Almighty God.
Secondly,
in declaring independence, they were declaring separation. The majority of the
text of the document lists the ways they had been mistreated and how attempts
to reconcile had failed. It was time to
separate, disconnect, undo, take apart, and break off the ties to the old in order to build the vision they had for the
new. Attention could not be given to
building activities and alliances in the "new world" as long as
nagging encumbrances remained from the "old world." Taking the step of forming a Constitution
didn't occur for another decade, but it couldn't have happened without the
Declaration.
Thirdly, in
declaring independence, they declared their commitment. They clarified what was important to them
and pledged their allegiance to it.
There was no turning back. There
was no "Plan B." They were
"all in" with their whole lives, fortunes, and sacred honors.
As a disciple
of Christ, it is imperative to declare independence in the three areas
mentioned here. Declaring dependence
on God and what Christ has accomplished for us, is the only way to freedom from
the tyranny of sin and sin's deceitfulness.
Trusting merely in your natural ability and trying to earn your way to
heaven will only lead to further enslavement (see Ephesians 2:8-9). Declaring separation from the old way
of thinking and believing is the only way to be free to form new beliefs and
behave differently. In the Gospel of
John, the words of Jesus are recorded, " Anyone who loves
their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will
keep it for eternal life" (John 12:25).
Not that God's desires are always antithetical to personal desires, but
sometimes personal desires and preferences have to be deliberately set aside
(died to, separated from) in order to fulfill God's master plan. Declaring commitment to a lifetime of
surrender to the laws of God is the only way to continually reap a harvest of
purpose and destiny. The principle of
sowing and reaping cannot be escaped.
Sow good and you reap good. Sow
evil and you reap evil.
Ephesians
6:10-12 says, "Finally, be strong in the Lord and
in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of
God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our
struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the
authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual
forces of evil in the heavenly realms."
I pray that you can declare your independence. Declaring independence in the spirit realm yields fruits of
refuge in the natural realm as well.
Depending on God to help you separate from old destructive patterns
commits you to a new way of life.
Note: The book Escaping the Pain of Offense:
Empowered to Forgive from the Heart discusses themes of dealing with
disappointments, offense and finding freedom in forgiveness. This book is designed to help people
(especially in the Christian faith) to
discover and dislodge things in life that lead to defeat. Don't miss out on
your chance to use this book as a helpful tool in discovering Refuge in Christ.
It can be purchased by clicking here: http://bluerockbnb.com/healing/book_main.htm
. If you get anywhere near Pennsylvania for vacation or on business, be sure to
look us up for lodging at
http://bluerockbnb.com
by Ed Hersh, Blue Rock BnB Healing Ministry
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