Each year on the Fourth of July, Americans gather to commemorate the birth of a nation founded on ideals of liberty, equality, and democracy. Fireworks illuminate the sky, parades fill our streets, and grills sizzle in backyards from coast to coast. But as people of faith, particularly within the Reformed tradition, we are called to look deeper—to ask how our celebrations reflect not only our national identity but also our discipleship to Jesus Christ.
Beyond patriotic displays, the Fourth of July gives Christians a moment to reflect on the deeper call to justice, responsibility, and neighborly love found in scripture, our confessions, and
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Claire Coenen is a poet, author, and teacher with a passion for sharing the renewing and liberating powers of creative writing with her community. Her first collection of poems, The Beautiful Keeps Breathing (Kelsay Books, 2024), explores themes of delight, loss, and spiritual integration. Claire offers mentorships, workshops, and retreats focused on writing as healing and soul-centered practice. As a registered yoga instructor and SoulCollage® facilitator, Claire integrates her understanding of the body’s wisdom and the artistic imagination into all of her offerings. A lifelong learner, Claire earned a
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Job 21 features Job’s response to Zophar’s speech in the prior chapter. In particular, Job questions his friend’s assertion that the prosperity of the wicked is always short-lived. Reading into Zophar’s claims, we can see an underlying assumption that longstanding earthly prosperity directly equates to moral righteousness. And to Job, who just lost his property, children, and his good health, Zophar continues to imply that Job must be masking hidden sin since only the wicked suffer as he does.
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