Think about it.

Last week our great nation celebrated it's 232nd birthday. As I thought about the years, I fondly remember the bicentennial. The U. S. Mint celebrated 200 years of independence by minting the bicentennial quarter. When visiting Philadelphia on Navy business in 2000, I had an opportunity to stand where our founding fathers of the Second Continental Congress voted to approve a resolution of independence. Thomas Jefferson penned the now infamous words in the preamble to our Constitution: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."

George Washington said, "It is impossible to rightly govern a nation without God and the Bible." Patrick Henry said, ""It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great nation was founded not by religionists but by Christians, not on religion but on the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We shall not fight alone. God presides over the destinies of nations. The battle is not to the strong alone. Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, ALMIGHTY GOD! Give me liberty or give me death!"

I find it ironic that we live in a nation that so desperately wants to be independent, yet our early leaders were so dependent upon God. As we celebrate this great nation's independence, I encourage you to be completely dependent upon the God who loves you with an everlasting love.