Today is the 4th of July. We call it Independence Day, when we celebrate our freedom from tyranny, injustice, and other things that once pressed down our country. America has a great document that is valued and respected. It was written more than two hundred years ago by a number of men who debated long and hard over what it should contain. It describes multiple rights, privileges, and limitations.

Nehemiah comes to mind as a person much like our forefathers who saw a task that needed to be done and accomplished it with God’s guidance. Jerusalem had been destroyed, and for over a hundred years, people gripped and complained about what should be done. It was Nehemiah who, instead of complaining, took action. And he had an important man by his side: Ezra, the priest. God supplied the material leader, and at the same time, God provided the spiritual leader.

In a time when our laws seem to be easily destroyed and manipulated, I think of those persons who come to this country seeking freedom. They learn the Declaration of Independence and study our Constitution. For Christians, the Bible is the highest law in which God makes His enduring promises and reveals His plan of redemption for the human race.

Be grateful for the country we’ve been given. Study your Bible and be encouraged to live a life worthy of our God.