On this 4th of July we thank you Lord that Founders of our nation looked to your word to understand the principles of good government. We thank you that they understood that all people were created by you and have equality of status before you. You have not made anyone to be the natural ruler over another.
Lord, we thank you for the principle of liberty that we learn from your word. Please help us to understand that your view of liberty is the freedom to choose what is right to do, not to do what we want apart from you. Please help us to see that when we do what we want to do we end up enslaved by our own sin. Lord, work in our hearts so that we want to do your will, not our own. Please help us see our need for a moral standard and give us the desire to live by that standard.
Lord, one of our rights is the right to life. Please show us the value of every life no matter who it is. May the hearts of mothers be turned to their children so that no child would be denied life. May we care as deeply about others as we care about ourselves.
Lord, help us to see that happiness will only be found as we pursue you. We are grateful for the right to keep the fruit of our labor, but we need to recognize that the pursuit of material gain will never satisfy our souls. Only you are the satisfier of our souls and only the pursuit of you has lasting, eternal value.
Lord, we thank you that because of your principles of good government we have been the most free and productive country on earth. May we be grateful for that and take seriously our responsibility to preserve and promote what is good and right. May we know that our nation being right depends on each of us being right with you.