In the United States, we approach our nation's Independence Day, marking the moment two hundred and forty-one years ago when the Second Continental Congress voted on July 2, 1776, to liberate the American colonies from oppressive British rule. After intense debate, the delegates signed the Declaration of Independence, risking their lives for freedom. The 1337-word Declaration listed twenty-six abusive actions by the English Crown and highlighted ignored attempts to remedy grievances, closing with a profession of faith in Divine Providence and a pledge of lives, fortunes, and sacred honor. Freedom is a precious gift from God to those in His church, a liberty the rest of the world cannot possess without His intervention. When Adam sought independence from God by disobeying in the Garden of Eden, he did not gain freedom but merely exchanged rulers, submitting to a tyrannical and malevolent one, satan, instead of the loving and benevolent God. Humanity has since faced far greater oppression under the adversary than the colonists endured under King George III. Through Jesus Christ, we have been released from satan's imprisonment, gaining the freedom to choose whom we obey. This self-governance reflects a form of independence, defined as not being influenced or controlled by others in matters of opinion or conduct, and not being subject to another's authority. However, true independence from God is not consistent with our relationship with Him. While complete independence as a Christian is unattainable, those called by God can choose to be independent of the chain the world places around humanity's neck, though this requires significant effort.

Our independence from Satan's control is a tremendous gift from God. However, remaining independent of this world and its ruler is hard work. To be independent means to control and direct our actions to blaze our own trails, following our Forerunner on His path, and to reject the broad and easy path that this world has so generously paved for us to take. Independence is a difficult path, not a destination, but rather the hallway that connects dependence and interdependence. It involves accepting a lot of responsibilities, steering the ship's ultimate direction, for better or worse, without freedom from worry, responsibility, challenges, hardships, or the possibility of failure. Freedom and independence come at a steep price, often more difficult to manage than tyranny, requiring self-discipline to work effectively. We have been selected by God to declare our independence from this world and its tyrannical ruler, set free from captivity to the devil's world to choose to follow God's way of life willingly. As new patriots, citizens of the Kingdom of God, we work with God and Christ to prepare spiritually for the establishment of a new, God-centered society, pursuing our great undertaking with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence. We rejoice in our precious independence from satan and his world, remembering the enormous price that was paid to secure that freedom for us.

Examining that we all serve something (even when we celebrate freedom from other burdens such as sin and addictions), we focus here on how we serve God when trials and tribulations crash around all our lives. Psalm 77 provides a solid answer for us. The first half of the chapter seems to be full of despair as Asaph cries to God and feels abandoned as God's trials cause insomnia from an unceasing fear that those challenges will not end. But in the second half he remembers to appeal to God and remember those actions that God has previously taken on his behalf. In humility he remembers that God acts on His own timeline and that He always remembers where we are and what we need. Asaph or the songwriter rediscovers or restrengthens His faith, which has a passive and active component—passive, where he always believes God's promises and diligently waits for His promises, and active, where one should proactively seek a relationship with God. Our service to God will encompass a wide variety of seemingly positive and negative seasons in our life, and we must remember to serve Him faithfully with our full strength and might at all times.