On the Fourth of July, we celebrate more than the birth of a nation—we celebrate the birth of an idea unlike any the world had ever known. The American Founders declared the timeless truth that our rights do not come from government, but from our Creator, and that governments exist only to secure those God-given rights.

The Declaration of Independence was born from a conviction that free people were entitled to govern themselves. After years of repeated infringements on their liberties, the Founders concluded that independence was not merely justified, it was necessary to preserve the sacred principles of self-government, individual liberty, and the rule of law.

What they established was extraordinary. The United States became the first nation founded not on ancestry, conquest, or monarchy, but on enduring principles. America was an idea, a bold affirmation that liberty belongs to every person and that a free people can govern themselves. That idea has become one of history's greatest blessings, inspiring freedom-loving people across the globe and offering hope to millions seeking liberty and opportunity.

George Washington noted that “Liberty, when it begins to take root, is a plant of rapid growth.”

From our earliest days, Americans have recognized the hand of Divine Providence in our national story. The Declaration itself appeals to "the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God" and expresses "a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence." Our Founders understood that liberty was both a gift and a responsibility.

Over the past 250 years, America has continued striving to more fully realize the promises proclaimed in Philadelphia in 1776. Those founding principles of equality, individual liberty, pursuit of happiness, limited government, and the consent of the governed—have proven remarkably enduring, through times of challenge and triumph.

As we gather with family and friends beneath the Stars and Stripes, even with fewer fireworks, let us give thanks for the courage of our Founders, the sacrifices of those who have defended our Republic, and the abundant blessings God has bestowed upon this exceptional nation. May we remain faithful stewards of the liberty we have inherited and pass it undiminished to future generations, remembering as George Washington admonished the troops of the Continental Army camped at Moore's House in West Point, New York:

Whereas it becomes us humbly to approach the throne of Almighty God, with gratitude and praise for the wonders which his goodness has wrought in conducting our fore-fathers to this western world…and above all, that he hath diffused the glorious light of the gospel, whereby, through the merits of our gracious Redeemer, we may become the heirs of his eternal glory.

May God continue to bless the United States of America, and may His providential hand continue to guide this great Republic. Happy Independence Day!

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