A Father’s Day present I received last month was a black tumbler, sporting this message: I Like My Coffee Black and My Tea In The Harbor.

 I’m assuming you all know what the second part of the phrase refers to – that iconic event on December 16, 1773, when the Sons of Liberty in Boston, MA, in protest of “taxation without representation,” tossed a shipload of tea into the Boston harbor.  Known as The Boston Tea Party, this significant event helped accelerate the resistance to British tyranny, ultimately leading to the Battles of Lexington and Concord, which marked the beginning of the American Revolutionary War.

In just a few days we’ll be celebrating our nation’s Independence Day.  What does “tea in the harbor” and the “Fourth of July” have in common?  Liberty.  Freedom.

As it should, the Fourth of July will once again be celebrated all across our country with parades and fireworks, BBQs and flag waving.  Old Glory in particular will be on proud display.

Jeremiah 50:2 states, Declare among the nations and proclaim, set up a banner [i.e. a flag] and proclaim, conceal it not.”  Banners, or flags, play a prominent role in Scripture.  For instance, while wandering the wilderness for forty years, wherever God’s people camped, they set up banners (flags) within the camp and outside each tent, identifying individual families, clans and tribes, as well as the nation itself.

Flying the U.S. flag does the same, especially on the 4^th.  Old Glory identifies “we the people” as citizens in a “land of the free and home of the brave.”

In detail, the U.S. flag consists of 13 equal horizontal stripes of red (top & bottom) alternating with white, with blue rectangle in the canton, referred to as the union and bearing fifty small, white, five-pointed stars arranged in nine offset horizontal rows, where rows of six stars (top & bottom) alternate with rows of five stars.  The 50 stars on the flag represent the 50 U.S. states, and the 13 stripes represent the thirteen British colonies that declared independence from Great Britain, which they went on to secure by their victory in the American Revolution.

The flag’s colors are significant as well.  Red signifies hardiness and valor.  White signifies purity and innocence.  And blue signifies vigilance, perseverance and justice.

In Romans 13:7 we read, Pay all of them their dues…respect to whom respect is due, honor to whom honor is due.”  One of the reasons we honor the flag is to respect our country and the liberties that we enjoy here,  which means paying respect to those who paid the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom.

Freedom and liberty (neither of which is free) is what our country’s flag symbolizes.

This 4^th of July, I’ll pay respect and honor once again by proudly flying my flag (which flies every day at our home!), wear my gray T-shirt with Old Glory silk screened on the front, and this year fill my new black tumbler with coffee (I like mine black) and reflect with grateful heart upon “my tea in the harbor” and the great challenge, responsibility and privilege that is mine (all of ours) in being good stewards of our dual citizenship!  Yes, dual (Church and State), for true freedom is found in Christ alone (Galatians 5:1).