Faith October 22, 2021 By
A poignant yet timeless quote by Lee Iacocca states, “…our nation was born when 56 patriots got mad enough to sign the Declaration of Independence…Getting mad in a constructive way is good for the soul – and the Country.”
Are there any words that ring more truth than these about the birth of our nation? Where would we be today had these 56 Patriots as delegates to the Continental Congress not stood their ground and gotten constructively mad against the tyranny and oppression of foreign rule on July 4, 1776? They were willing to give all that they had including their very lives to bring a new nation with a new government into existence. These 56 Patriots, none of whom were born in America, knew that signing the Declaration of Independence was extremely dangerous – a treasonable act, one punishable by death.
Each Patriot must have taken very seriously God’s words from Isaiah 45: 5-6 which says “I am the Lord; there is no other God. I have equipped you for battle, though you don’t even know me, so all the world from east to west will know there is no other God.” Believing that God would equip them for imminent and lengthy battle, they stood firm in the knowledge that He was surely in control.
They definitely believed God as our Creator and who our country was founded upon as is evidenced by the most famous words from the Declaration of Independence - “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.”
All of these many years later as our nation is mired in difficulties and strife of all types, the words from Isaiah 45 are as true today as they were for the 56 Patriots. Things today may be far from perfect and appear to be going against what those 56 Patriots intended for America, but in the end, God still is above all.
Believing God is still in control does not absolve each of us of our responsibility to do our part as citizens of the greatest nation on Earth. Those 56 Patriots, as well as many others, risked their lives to give every American the honor and privilege of voting for the candidate of their own choosing. As Americans, we need to actually vote! It is up to us to know what platforms each candidate stands on and believes, and vote for the “better” candidate.
Jesus is still the answer. We may think that we don’t have to vote because there’s no one “good” running. However, those trying to change and interpret our Constitution and laws based on their own agendas ARE voting. Again, we must exercise our right to vote. When we don’t vote, it gives power to those that are voting.
Let us never forget what was inscribed by the 56 Patriots as the final sentence of the Declaration of Independence, “…a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.” We must respect and honor their dedication to making this country a reality knowing that God is always in control. When we see our country going the wrong way, it is our right and most certainly our responsibility to vote and pray.
Above all else, we still need to do our part and get involved. We must fervently, powerfully, and intentionally pray for our country, and vote as an informed voter at every opportunity. Our founding fathers, those 56 Patriots willing to give all, are counting on us.
