We are Pilgrims

By: John Carrigan

Friday, July 10, 2026

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 2 Corinthians 3:17

Every July, it’s comforting to get wrapped up in red, white, and blue. To me, those colors represent freedom and our nation's heritage. They also reflect the faith of the Pilgrims who were fleeing religious persecution in England.

Those pilgrims journeyed into the unknown, and it took tremendous courage and a belief in something greater than themselves. After missing their intended landing point (which later become Virgina), they landed in what we now call Massachusetts. The "relocation" caused some issues amongst the people, but their leaders drafted a document about how they would live. They called that document the Mayflower Compact.

It began with a profession of their Christian faith, stating their voyage was undertaken for "The glory of God, and advancement of the Christian Faith." There are no intentions more noble than those! God's Word says we are made in His image, so none of us are greater or lesser than others. This divine blueprint means every person has been given dignity, worth, and an unshakeable kingdom value.

Later, the founders of our nation used this biblical worldview to write that "all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." They were imperfect people who sometimes failed to live up to those ideals, but the framework they established came from a desire to be free from oppression.

Our forefathers struggle for earthly freedom is a powerful reminder of our deeper spiritual need. While we are thankful for the liberties we enjoy in our nation, they are all temporary. The most important freedom we can obtain isn't political, it's spiritual. Our greatest need is to be born again and become citizens of heaven forever!

Jesus didn't go to the cross to free us from earthly rulers; He died to set us free from the eternal consequences of sin. He laid down His life to purchase our citizenship in a kingdom that will never fade. We were all born on Earth, but this is not our home. We were made for something bigger, God created all of us for eternity.

...let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. Hebrews 12:1-2

We celebrate our earthly blessings with gratitude, but we must keep our eyes fixed on eternity. Make sure you've surrendered everything in your life to Jesus; He is the only way to eternal life!