The Freedom That Was Always Yours
God Didn’t Give You Freedom to Waste It
Dear Friends,
Every Fourth of July, we fire up the grill, watch the fireworks, and celebrate what we generally call “freedom.” That word gets thrown around so casually that it loses its meaning. But if you trace freedom back to where it truly comes from, you’ll find something that changes the way you live the other 364 days each year.
The men who signed the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, didn’t invent freedom. They recognized it. That’s the distinction that matters. When Thomas Jefferson wrote that all men “are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights,” he wasn’t making a political argument. He was making a theological one. These rights didn’t come from a king, a parliament, or a government document. They came from God. Which means no king, parliament, or government document can legitimately take them away.
The Hand That Wasn’t Theirs
George Washington understood this too. He didn’t credit himself or his fellow founders with the outcome of the Revolution. He called it “the hand of Providence” and “the finger of Providence.” These were men under enormous pressure who understood they were working within something far larger than themselves. That kind of humility is rare in any era, and it’s worth pausing on.
Here’s something that captures it well. Take a look at the two-dollar bill. This bill makes up less than 0.001% of all currency in circulation, which makes them the rarest money the U.S. Treasury currently produces. But look at what’s on the back. It’s a portrait of all 56 signers from the thirteen original colonies, the moment they put their names to the Declaration of Independence. And right there on the bill are the words “In God We Trust.” These men pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor, with full reliance on divine Providence.
Why This Matters Today
God-given freedom isn’t simply freedom from something. It’s freedom for something. The Declaration names three rights specifically: Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. Notice it says “pursuit.” God gives you the freedom to go after a good life, but that life requires something from you. It requires wisdom, discipline, and the willingness to take personal responsibility for your choices. That’s true whether you’re 25 or 95 and just as relevant on an ordinary Tuesday as it is on the Fourth of July.
Those same qualities, wisdom, discipline, and responsibility, are exactly what responsible gun ownership demands. The Second Amendment wasn’t an afterthought. It was a deliberate protection of a God-given right to defend your life, your family, and your freedom. The men who wrote it understood that liberty without the means to protect it is fragile at best.
A Nation Reflects Its People
Proverbs 14:34 says, “Godliness makes a nation great.”
That wasn’t a sentiment. It was an observation about how things actually work. A nation of people who fear God, treat their neighbors honestly, and take responsibility for their families is a nation that functions. The foundation matters, and each of us is part of it.
Our ancestors understood this. They handed down specific values: integrity, honor, commitment, courage, perseverance, and respect for authority and our elders. We owe it to them to recognize that history, share it, and live it forward. We are a nation founded on Judeo-Christian belief in an Almighty God whose Providence has blessed this country. That’s not a partisan statement. It’s a historical one.
So, this July 4th, don’t just celebrate the holiday. Recognize what you’ve really been given. A nation founded on the belief that God created you with inherent worth and purpose. That you are not subject to tyrants because you answer first to your Creator. That the life in front of you is yours to build, guided by wisdom, grounded in faith, and lived with integrity. Proclaim “In God We Trust” and mean it. Take pride in American exceptionalism, not as a slogan, but as a responsibility.
That’s the freedom worth lighting fireworks over.
Stay encouraged — your story is still unfolding.
Randy Abramovic
Author, Guys, Guns, and God
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