Dependence Day

Psalm 62

Last week during the Brexit hoopla, Nigel Farage, leader of the UK Independence Party, roused his nation to vote for their own “independence day”; a little bit ironic considering that Great Britain was already an independent nation and even more ironic considering that most of the other countries around the world who celebrate an Independence Day, are celebrating their independence from the British Empire. Despite the irony, these comments have caused me to think about what it is that we mean when we use the word “independence” in the context of international politics.

Many years prior to all this, David son of Jesse, leader of the People of Israel and traditionally presumed author of the Psalms, roused his nation to practicing faith and obedience through prayers featuring the theme of "the Lord as refuge.” These Psalms, have caused me to think about what it is that we mean when we use the word “dependence” in the context of the life of a community of faith.

Politically and Theologically, the words “independence” and “freedom” have very different implications. Confusing the two contexts can be very dangerous. We’ve already encountered this danger in some of the Scripture we’ve looked at this year: we’ve looked at Paul’s description of freedom in the letter to the Galatians, and we know of his warning against using that freedom to serve selfish impulses; we’ve looked at the story of Elijah vs. the Prophets of Baal, and we talked about how selfish-desires can easily become idolatry in service to “Have It Your Way”; we’ve also looked at the Biblical story of the first “Independence Day”, which was not celebrated. This was the day that Adam and Eve were kicked out of the garden of Eden, having decided that they could make some decisions better than God, that they could live independently of their Creator.

The question that many clergy struggle with this time of year is whether or not the church in America can faithfully celebrate the 4th of July. Of course we can. And I don’t just say this because I love burgers and fireworks. I say this because I love freedom, and I believe God loves our freedom, too. I say this because I believe in honoring and respecting the sacrifices that so many have made to secure and defend that freedom. Of course we can celebrate the 4th of July. The challenge comes in how we go about doing that. How do we celebrate our freedom without becoming self-absorbed? How do we celebrate our nation without creating an idol of it? How do we celebrate independence and freedom without blurring the line between the political and theological context?

This is where today’s Psalm offers some insight. In short: fully depend on God. If you look at it closely, Psalm 62 sets the pattern that our worship follows through focus, confession, and assurance. It begins by focusing attention on God, the object of our worship and trust, “My soul waits on God, who alone is my rock and my salvation…”

It continues with a call to confession, an expression of the threatening context in which our trust sometimes falters, “How long will you assail a person, will you batter your victim, all of you, as you would a leaning wall, a tottering fence? Their only plan is to bring down a person of prominence. They take pleasure in falsehood; they bless with their mouths, but inwardly they curse.”

Following this, is a refocusing on God, an assurance of deliverance, which can only come from God, “My soul waits on God, my refuge. Trust in God at all times!”

Then comes another confession, of the weakness and frailty of humankind, “Human beings are but a breath, nothing but lies, we don’t even register on a scale, we’re lighter than breath.”

Then the following warnings against trusting in “violence”, “robbery”, or “wealth” are confessions of the ways in which we have ascribed power to these things. “Power belongs to God,” the Psalmist reminds us, “power and steadfast love,” an humbling assurance of God’s mercy towards us.

The overarching call of Psalm 62 acknowledges the insufficiency of human independence for salvation, and calls us, therefore, to put our complete trust in God rather than in ourselves. This is tougher than it sounds, especially in the context of celebrating July 4th as the people of God. At no point is this call more difficult than when we are asked to bring an honest confession of the frailty of human structures and the American reverence of violence and wealth into our celebration of freedom. But again, we have help in doing this. This help comes through the Holy Spirit, sent by our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, who meets us in Bread and Cup at God’s table of grace.

On July 4th America celebrates its independence from the British Empire and our unity as a nation; but today at the Lord’s Table, we celebrate, alongside all the nations of the earth, our dependence on the grace of God and our unity in the Body of Christ. It is that unity by which we are called to freedom in Christ. It is that unity by which we are also called to confront our own participation in and perpetuation of the very greed, oppression, and injustice from which we celebrate our independence. Our own independence day reminds us of the very real and very understandable desire for revolution against the powers of evil, oppression, and injustice, but it also should remind us of our own shortcomings, and the ways with which we have used our freedom to serve sin.

The Christian church can celebrate independence and freedom, but we must do so while also asking if God is celebrating with us.

Was God celebrating our independence and freedom while we upheld the institution of slavery? Was God celebrating our independence and freedom when the white man’s sense of manifest destiny drove Native American men, women, and children from their homes, and in many cases, to their death? Was God celebrating our independenceand freedom when women weren’t allowed to vote? Does God celebrate our independence and freedom when the battle for civil and social rights and freedom for all still rages, today? Does God celebrate our independence and freedom when our political parties have perhaps reached an unparalleled level of partisanship and division? Does God celebrate our independence and freedom when we turn a blind eye to the ongoing impact of privilege and prejudice?

The Lord’s Table also involves us in a revolution against the powers of evil, but it involves us in such a way that God celebrates with us. At the Lord's Table, God prepares a table before us in the presence of our enemies, and then invites our enemies to join us. The Lord’s Table is not about meeting human expectations, but it does meet the human need for justice, freedom, peace, safety, nourishment, shelter, care, and love, and it does so in a revolutionary way. At the Lord’s Table, all the nations of the earth celebrate our dependence on the grace of God and Christ's victory over the cosmic forces of sin and evil. At the Lord’s Table we are called to consider our own participation in and perpetuation of the Body of Christ in the world.

How do we celebrate the 4th of July as American members of the Body of Christ? We do this by celebrating our freedom, but by locating that freedom in Christ. We do this by holding the divine ideals of God’s revolutionary table above the human ideals of America’s revolutionary war. We do this by proclaiming, “God bless America!” but not stopping there, “God bless all the nations of the earth!” We do this by giving thanks for the peace we enjoy here without losing sight of God’s peace. Human peace is fickle and easily attacked, only God’s peace is complete. We do this by giving thanks for the men and women who serve in our military, by praying for their safety, praying for their families and friends, and by praying that they might serve God’s vision of peace, freedom, and justice. But we also do this by realizing that God sends all of us from the table to make God’s peace a reality in the world, by realizing that our participation in the Body of Christ unites us in the work of Christ to bring about the kingdom of God and to extend God’s blessing to the ends of the earth.

“Once God has spoken; twice have I heard this: that power belongs to God, and steadfast love belongs to you, O Lord. For you repay to all according to their work.”

Friends, God will repay us with peace and freedom, but only if we work within the realization that we are fully dependent upon God for every blessing of this life. In closing, I want to share these words from the very first President of the United States of America, George Washington. "While we are zealously performing the duties of good citizens and soldiers, we certainly ought not to be inattentive to the higher duties of religion. To the distinguished character of Patriot, it should be our highest glory to add the more distinguished character of Christian.” Friends, may it be so. Amen.