A glorious morning …

Every Fourth of July is loud.

Loud with colors bursting in the sky, loud with cheers echoing through the streets as a nation celebrates the quintessential American holiday – Independence Day. Yet, beneath the festivities lies a powerful connection – a connection to the colonists’ yearning for independence that ignited on the Lexington green in 1775.

Freedom wasn’t a privilege they enjoyed as British subjects. It was a future they desperately longed for, a future where they could govern themselves and chart their own course. For years, the colonists had chafed under British rule, their voices unheard, their taxes unfair, their destinies controlled from afar.

Then came that fateful morning, the pre-dawn stillness shattered by the first shots of the American Revolution. As the smoke cleared, amidst the burgeoning conflict, a powerful statement rang out: “What a glorious morning this is!”

These weren’t the words of a bloodthirsty warmonger, but of Samuel Adams, a man deeply committed to the cause of liberty. The “glory” he saw wasn’t in the violence to come, but in the audacity of hope. At long last, the colonists were taking a stand, embarking on a perilous journey toward the dream they held so dear.

Adams’ words serve as a reminder that the pursuit of a just cause often demands a courageous leap. There’s a profound beauty in the willingness to stand up for what is right and God-honoring, even when the outcome is not guaranteed and the likely cost would be that of great sacrifice. Perhaps it’s advocating for a cause close to our hearts, challenging injustice, being able to exercise our faith freely, and overcoming any obstacles to proclaiming the Good News of Jesus Christ.

The true “glorious morning” isn’t just a historical event; it’s a continuous act of courage. It’s the unwavering commitment to liberty’s ongoing journey, a more just society, and to the pursuit of being ambassadors for Jesus Christ in a sin-enslaved world. Let this Independence Day be a renewed dedication to such worthy pursuits, like an echo from our forefathers’ yearning for a brighter tomorrow.

Scotty