I Wonder: What Have We Forgotten About Freedom?

I witnessed a rare thing today! It brought tears of joy to my eyes. The whole world witnessed it as well.

I wonder!

How many in America realize how rare a thing it is to see this celebration of freedom that took place today with our new president’s inauguration? Few nations have ever seen this miracle of a peaceful transition of power from one governing party to another.

I wonder if we shall ever witness this great celebration again? There are so many in America who cannot bring themselves to celebrate the freedoms God has granted us and the blessings God has given her. There are so many Americans who hate America and even our “Grand Old Flag” is, to them, only a symbol of prejudice and oppression.

Sixty-eight congressmen boycotted this celebration of freedom with all other Americans. Prominent actors, artists, and leaders openly weep over who was chosen as our president and proclaim, “He is not my president!” Many refuse to stand honoring the anthem of our freedom. People were demonstrating in the streets of DC, others sought to disrupt this grand celebration, and still others caused destruction while this God-given freedom was being celebrated by a nation. Burning the very symbol of our freedom has become and acceptable form of protest.

— Isaiah 29:9 (NKJV)
Pause and wonder! Blind yourself and be blind! They are drunk, but not with wine; They stagger, but not with intoxicating drink.

So few are astonished at all the stupidity that is around us. It is as if they are all drunk. They are, but it is not on strong drink or drugs. They are drunk on their own folly and human reasoning. If our stupor continues, the “Light of Life” so graciously given; will be taken away. Grace having been abused, the curse of man will return to them confusing the wise.

When custom becomes religion, weeping and gnashing of teeth will soon become their custom. When religion becomes a tool to serve one’s own interests, fools they will soon become.

We have forgotten the many wonders God performed in the giving  to us of this precious freedom. (Psalm 105:5) We have also forgotten His judgments for our sin and having a thankless heart for what He gave by His sovereign grace.

We have forgotten it was the dead bodies of men and women at Fort McHenry that held up the flag there as the British, determined to bring the flag down in a day-long assault, bombarded the Fort. When one patriot died trying to hold it up; another would take his place until he/she was dead.

We have forgotten others like Stephen Ross, a nine-year-old boy, was rescued from the death camp in Dachau. American soldiers nursed him back to health. As Stephen’s tears of joy came after being freed, one soldier gave him a small American flag to wipe his tears away.

It is their flag, and many more we are trampling on. It is their suffering that bought our freedoms so many now refuse to celebrate.

We must remember! To a young fledgling nation trying to free itself from the tyranny of the greatest power on Earth and to countless others, our flag is a symbol of redemption, freedom, and hope. Our wonder of all God has done must linger. We must wait on Him to show Himself. We must stay and tarry long at Christ’s feet in utter astonishment at every word spoken from His lips.

Changed in mind and changed in heart, we must cry out to Him for relief from our deadly slumber and the worldly folly that put us under its spell. Let us return to Him and be healed. Let us return to Him our sight to be restored and the blindness once rubbed on our eyes; removed. If we do, God will do a work beyond what any of us could ever believe (Acts 13:41).

Shall we drink the cup of God’s fury?

Shall we fall into the hands of God’s anger?

We are only as sober as the prophets who lead us! So many have fallen into a deep sleep from hearing a gospel by those where the deep sleep of darkness was preferable to the Gospel that would lead us to the Light.

How often do we pause and wonder why so many seem drunk with stupidity? What can we do to awaken those in a deep slumber?