The Declaration of Independence
Then they shall eat the flesh on that night; roasted in fire, with unleavened bread and with bitter herbs they shall eat it…It is the Lord’s Passover ‘So this day shall be to you a memorial; and you shall keep it as a feast to the Lord throughout your generations. Exodus 12:8,11,14
There are historically deep connections between festival celebrations and food. When God set up the Calendar Year for Old Testament Israel, a primary festival was the Passover and the Passover Meal. Both the event commemorated and the foods associated with it pointed to the Messiah and the sacrifice Christ would make as the world’s Redeemer.
The history of the United States is short compared to other nations, but food traditions have quickly developed. We too use special meals to commemorate days such as Thanksgiving, Christmas, and the 4th of July. One could even argue that the portable picnic is a distinctly American tradition with its hot dogs, potato salad, baked beans, and lemonade.
God instructed Israel to pass down the meaning of the Passover Meal to succeeding generations. And it shall be, when your children say to you, ‘What do you mean by this service?’ that you shall say, ‘It is the Passover sacrifice of the Lord, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt when He struck the Egyptians and delivered our households.’ ” Ex 12:26-27
It would be good if we did something similar at our July 4th picnics. That, when we pause to pray before we eat, we say something about the special blessings that God has given to us in the U.S.
Here’s a 4th of July picnic prayer that does just that:
Lord God, Heavenly Father, on this Independence Day, our hearts overflow with thanksgiving for the freedoms with which You have blessed our nation. We recognize that every liberty we cherish, every right we hold dear, comes from Your gracious hand. Help us never to take these blessings for granted. As we celebrate today with fireworks and festivities, remind us that our ultimate freedom was purchased by the blood of Your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord. In Whose Name we pray. Amen.