The silence of early morning broken further by the phone as our daughter announces the impending departure from her home to join us. The clatter of the clan on the second floor getting ready as my grandson and I catch a few more winks of rest then play with the toys that catch his fancy at the moment.
And as the day unfolds plans are put into motion for our gathering. Bar-b-que is ordered, sweet tea, and other sides picked up on the way to retrieve the meal of choice. We visit about the climate, our freedoms, the forgotten side-order that would have made the meal more complete and the breaking news. We discuss family we miss and plans for the rest of the summer. The time arrives for us to share our son and his crew with our daughter-in-law's family and its just us again, my bride and I.
After moments of silence turned deafening I finally pursed my finger on the remote and found my attention drawn to President Obama's speech as it was being broadcast on Fox News Network. As he finished I was further drawn in to the story of President Bush's invitation and watched a portion of his speech from Woodward, OK. The contrast of the two was interesting, PO's was sleek and warm welcoming the celebrators of freedom at the Whitehouse. PB's was folksy and heartfelt as he spoke to the folks of OK. Both places celebrated the freedoms that Independence Day marks.
Enthralled temporarily by Fox News I stayed for the beginning of Huckabee and Lee Greenwood's performance of "God Bless the USA" and stayed to hear the George Barna interview. The interview sparked the searching that moved me to my titles conclusion. The sparks flared out to remind me of the freedom of dependence that is so important.
Oh I'm not talking about dependence on family, though that is nice. I'm not talking about the dependence on foreign oil or imports, that's a topic for someone of sterner fortitude than I. I'm talking of the dependence on a creator who placed in motion the plan for man to follow Him.
Drawn to Barna's site I discovered the blog of Frank Viola and "A Jesus Manifesto" by Leonard Sweet and Frank Viola. While as a Texas grown, fully immersed, Southern Baptist raised and educated, follower of Christ I don't follow creeds. However, the manifesto held sway to remind me of the importance of our dependence on Christ especially in land so full of freedoms.
The manifesto closes with these words
“This ONE THING I know” (Jn.9:25) that is the ONE THING that unites us all:
Jesus the Christ.
Christians don’t follow Christianity; Christians follow Christ.
Christians don’t preach themselves; Christians proclaim Christ.
Christians don’t point people to core values; Christians point people to the cross.
Christians don’t preach about Christ: Christians preach Christ.
Over 300 years ago a German pastor wrote a hymn that built around the Name above all names:
Ask ye what great thing I know, that delights and stirs me so? What the high reward I win? Whose the name I glory in?
Jesus Christ, the crucified.
This is that great thing I know; this delights and stirs me so: faith in him who died to save, His who triumphed o’er the grave:
Jesus Christ, the crucified.
—
Jesus Christ – the crucified, resurrected, enthroned, triumphant, living Lord.
He is our Pursuit, our Passion, and our Life.
Amen.
As I remember the unquestioning love my grandson so easily gives, I am reminded of the undeserved love that my Savior has given to me. As the celebration of this 2009 Day of Independence draws to a close with the fireworks of our city bursting the night sky outside our window I must celebrate the freedom it brings to be dependent on my Christ the author and finisher of my faith.
As you let freedom ring, let the true freedom of Jesus Christ ring louder than any bell in any freedom hall as you live your life celebrating His Crucifixion, His Resurrection, His Triumphant Living Lordship. Let Him, as Frank Viola says, be your "PURSUIT, YOUR PASSION, YOUR LIFE" the rest of 2009 and beyond.
