As we celebrated Independence Day at our church it was exhilarating to stand before the congregation singing "America." I held our flag as the pipe organ, piano and tower bells declared the day.

My new optimism comes as I sense most Americans have come to the place where I and the Greater Church have been, finally able to decry our government's course of action. Recently, I completed David Stewart's book "The Summer of 1787" the eighty days our founding fathers met in Philadelphia to write our Constitution. I never realized the depth of the struggle that went into its birthing, issues resurfacing repeatedly and the laborious debate to try to get it right.

Slavery overshadowed most of the summer. At the beginning virtually every delegate, north and south, admitted it "an abomination before God" and "a wholly evil practice." Yet in the end they let it stand to "protect our economy." Some observations:

1. The real beauty of the United States comes NOT from our military victories or fabulous economy. We forget our revolution did not make America. By 1787, six years after the war ended, our nation was falling apart: rebellion in NY and NH, Virginia at war with Maryland over the Potomac, and Connecticut arming against PA and NY, and our currency was worthless. America's greatness comes from people who were, and are, willing to stand and yell against what is wrong in society and government. These men did it and left us a way to KEEP DOING IT - the Constitution!

2. Today as then, some want to keep the status quo no matter how out-dated. The men of 1787 would not want that, even though by the end of the summer they knew they had failed to create truly fair and just governance. So they left us the finest of all legacies, a document that can and should be amended by the people of every age. Many political, cultural and religious groups want to retreat to a power structure where "their rights" are enshrined. These framers, however, knew in their failure to rid the nation of slavery, that others to follow must have unlimited opportunities to move forward amending past failures through constitutional means.

The struggle between our self desires (mammon) and justice/righteousness (God) is relentless. It was present in Philadelphia just as it is in today's Washington. Jesus taught: "No one can serve two masters; for either he/she will hate the one and love the other, or else will be loyal to one and despise the other. You CANNOT serve God and mammon." (Mt. 6:24).

Every generation ignores Jesus' words with disasters results. Many of the grand children of the men of 1787 died or lost sight and limb fighting the Civil War to correct their mistake.

Our generation (1960 - 2007) has made grievous errors in dealing with the people of the rest of the world. We lusted after mammon, ignoring cries from God. We too will pay for our mistakes. Actually, as in times of old, the cost of our thirst for mammon (cheap goods) also will be laid at the feet of our grandchildren, even to 2087 - For God's Sake