Reflecting on our Independence
Jun 30, 2020
Mike Schrage, GNPI President
I’ve been married for almost 40 years, and I still struggle with admitting that I am wrong to my wife. I found it hard to apologize to my children when they were under my roof. Even today in the workplace, it’s a challenge to tell my coworkers I’m sorry. As individuals, we have to lay aside our pride to improve our relationships. So it should not come as a surprise that we are now struggling as a nation to admit our pride and ask God and one another for forgiveness.
“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourself not looking to your own interests, but each of you to the interest of the others. In your relationship with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus . . .”
As a Christian, I am not male, female, white, or black, I am foremost a servant. I am under Christ. I am broken, redeemed, adopted, and forgiven. I am no longer the holder of my personal identity, much less my destiny. Instead, I am hidden in Christ. Christ, my supreme example.
“... Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness . . .”
As a servant, I lament that I still have pride and not enough love. I also lament for the culture of my homeland—for all of us as citizens and for the state of the Church because the U.S. is now the fifth-largest unchurched nation in the world. I pray for our leaders this Independence Day as those in authority over us who will give an account to the living God about how they led us.
“. . . and being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross . . .”
God, hear from heaven and forgive me. Forgive all of us our sins and heal our land. We strive to come alongside you, God our Father, and the angels in heaven.
“... exalt him to the highest place and give him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
That is my cry, that is my hope. As we reflect on our independence, may we realize how desperately we need to depend on God and one another. Amen!