America's History is Rooted in Gratitude

  

by Barbara Latta @barbaralata 

Four centuries ago, Europeans who yearned for a way of life where their worship of God was not controlled by an earthly king endured months tossed at sea through storms, sickness, cold, lack of food and weariness beyond what their bodies could stand. All for the desire for the freedom worship God. And when they arrived on the shores of the new land, the first thing they did was give thanks.

America’s history is rooted in gratitude.

How were these groups of people able to give thanks to God despite the trials they went through? Because they knew He was their deliverer and they saw beyond the present. They looked into the future to see the reward God had set before them.

Military members who have fought wars since the arrival of the pilgrims obtained and preserved the liberty we have. The soldiers at Valley Forge trudged through snow and ice enduring frostbite and sickness, many without shoes, yet forging onward. “Victory or Death,” were General Washington’s words. Many did die so that America could be born.

Soldiers shivered in foxholes in Germany and Korea, trampled through the jungles of Vietnam’s heat and humidity, endured the blowing sand and blazing sun of the Middle East. Prisoner of War camps brutalized thousands.

The desire for political freedom comes from the inward drive of mankind for spiritual freedom. God birthed our nation by putting a burning desire into those who would endure those hardships rather than give in to evil and tyranny. And the reason was so that America would be free to preach the gospel across the world.

When we sit down to our turkey and cranberry sauce in a few days may we be ever mindful of those who went before us and gave us these comforts and pleasures.

The price paid to give us what we have today can easily slip our minds when we are living in abundance and comfort. Events from decades and centuries ago are foggy memories or totally forgotten because we are not the ones who suffered the injustices, pain, and sacrifice.

The greatest price ever paid for freedom was when blood from a perfect body ran down a rough wooden cross and saturated the ground in red. It dripped on the debt that was so high no one else could ever pay it. Yet the one who didn’t owe the debt cancelled it for those of us who did. Jesus paid it all. He bought spiritual freedom for us so we could be free from every type of bondage.

America’s history is rooted in gratitude because God founded this country on prayer and sacrifice. May we remember and pursue the reason we are blessed today. (click to tweet)

A SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT:

The email subscriber service that sends these blog posts out to those who have signed up has had some issues. I am in the process of changing companies and this may take me a couple of weeks to complete due to our holiday schedule. But the posts will be back soon. I appreciate your patience and support!