Every year, Americans get a day off of work for President’s Day. While some will go on long weekend trips and others will use the extra day to catch up on household chores, very few Americans will take time to stop and reflect on the question, What is President’s Day about, anyway? 

And for those of us that follow Jesus: Does President’s Day have Biblical significance?

While President’s Day is not a Christian holiday, it does serve an important purpose. On this day, we look back and reflect on American history–particularly, on the life of George Washington. Since it is Biblical to remember the past (Isaiah 46:9), President’s Day can serve as a powerful moment to look back and honor the foundations of America. 

In the following article, we’ll look at the meaning of President’s Day, as well as Scripture that can help us reflect on history with a Biblical perspective. 

What is President’s Day?

Though you might think President’s Day refers to all former U.S. presidents, it was actually created to celebrate the first president of America: George Washington. 

After the death of George Washington in 1799, Americans began to unofficially celebrate the former president’s birthday, which fell on February 22nd. History.com calls the day “a perennial day of remembrance.” 

In other words, it was a special day to remember the most important figure in American history up until that point. Remember that George Washington wasn’t just the first president; he was also one of the founding fathers and the commander in chief of the continental army during the Revolutionary War. 

One of his peers described his life and legacy well: Washington was the “First in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen.” 

While we can’t be sure if Washington was an authentic follower of Jesus, we can honor his accomplishments, tenacity, and courage to be a forerunner in something the world had never seen before: a democracy. We can also reflect on the life and legacy of another great American president born in February, Abraham Lincoln.

Finally, we can take time to celebrate freedom and democracy, and pray for those who don’t have these same privileges. 

That being said, here are some Bible verses to reflect on this President’s Day weekend, 2024. 

15 Bible Verses for President’s Day 2024

Bible Verses About Freedom

#1: You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. (Galatians 5:13)

#2: It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. (Galatians 5:1)

#3: But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. (Romans 6:22)

#4: For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God. (Romans 8:20-21)

#5: The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners (Isaiah 61:1)

Bible Verses About Remembrance

#6: It shall come about, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow will be seen in the cloud, and I will remember My covenant, which is between Me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and never again shall the water become a flood to destroy all flesh. When the bow is in the cloud, then I will look upon it, to remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.” (Genesis 9:14-16)

#7: In the future, when your son asks you, “What is the meaning of the stipulations, decrees and laws the Lord our God has commanded you?” 21 tell him: “We were slaves of Pharaoh in Egypt, but the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand. 22 Before our eyes the Lord sent signs and wonders—great and terrible—on Egypt and Pharaoh and his whole household. 23 But he brought us out from there to bring us in and give us the land he promised on oath to our ancestors. (Deuteronomy 6:20-23)

#8: “He has given help to Israel His servant,

In remembrance of His mercy,

As He spoke to our fathers,

To Abraham and his descendants forever.” (Luke 1:54-55)

#9: And Joshua set up at Gilgal the twelve stones they had taken out of the Jordan. 21 He said to the Israelites, “In the future when your descendants ask their parents, ‘What do these stones mean?’ 22 tell them, ‘Israel crossed the Jordan on dry ground.’ 23 For the Lord your God dried up the Jordan before you until you had crossed over. The Lord your God did to the Jordan what he had done to the Red Sea[b] when he dried it up before us until we had crossed over. 24 He did this so that all the peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the Lord is powerful and so that you might always fear the Lord your God.” (Joshua 4:20-24)

#10: Remember the days of old;

consider the generations long past.

Ask your father and he will tell you,

your elders, and they will explain to you.

When the Most High gave the nations their inheritance,

when he divided all mankind,

he set up boundaries for the peoples

according to the number of the sons of Israel. (Deuteronomy 32:7-9)

Bible Verses About Leadership

#11: Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith. (Hebrews 13:7)

#12: The greatest among you shall be your servant. (Matthew 23:11)

#13: Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. (Joshua 1:9)

#14: Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood. (Acts 20:28)

#15: Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others (Philippians 2:3-4)

Over to You

There are many ways to acknowledge President’s Day. You might preach a whole sermon that acknowledges President’s Day, or you might acknowledge the holiday quickly and simply in your announcements. In any case, we can take this day off of work as an opportunity to rest, reflect, and celebrate the most important form of freedom we have: freedom in Christ. 

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