First, let me congratulate you on your new citizenship! As our country celebrates another Independence Day, may we all thank God for the freedom He has given us, and the opportunity to make a better life for ourselves and our families. May we never take our freedoms for granted–including our freedom of religion.

Since its beginning, America has been deeply influenced by the Judeo-Christian tradition and by the teachings of the Bible. Some of our earliest settlers (such as the Pilgrims) came here for religious reasons, convinced that God was going to give them the opportunity to worship Him in freedom. Our legal system was largely built on the Bible’s teaching about right and wrong, and our forefathers took seriously its statement that “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord” (Psalm 33:12).

At the same time, not every citizen at the beginning of our nation was a committed Christian, nor are they today. In fact, some today even want to banish all mention of God from public life–something our nation’s founders never intended.

On this special holiday, let us pray that this will never happen, but that our nation will turn back to God and seek His will. And may this begin with you, as you personally turn to Christ and commit your life to Him.