"Blessed
is the nation whose God is the LORD; and the people whom he hath chosen for his
own inheritance." Psalm 33:12 (KJV)
As we gather to celebrate Independence
Day this weekend, the pomp and pageantry (not to mention the rousing noise of
fireworks and general gaiety) rightly remind us of our nation's founding. Yet
for Christians, the greater reminder is that no nation is truly blessed because
of its military strength, economic prosperity, or political institutions.
According to the Scriptures, a nation's greatest blessing is found in
acknowledging the sovereign Lord.
Psalm 33:12 is more than a patriotic
verse; it is a timeless Biblical principle. Both in Scripture and in History,
we see that Nations flourish when they seek God's righteousness and decline
when they forget Him. This truth was well understood by many of the men who
signed the Declaration of Independence. They spoke openly of Divine Providence,
appealed to the Creator as the source of human rights, and called upon the
people to seek God's favor through prayer and repentance. They recognized that
liberty was not merely a political achievement but a sacred trust, to be
exercised under the authority of Almighty God.
That same conviction was carried into
later generations, including to our Confederate forefathers. Throughout the War
Between the States, Confederate camps frequently held worship services, prayer
meetings, and revivals. General Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson was an Elder in the
Presbyterian Church. General Robert E. Lee was a devout Anglican layman who
regularly attended Divine Service, even while beleaguered by Grant’s armies at
Petersburg. And the Constitution of the Confederate States of America, unlike
the Constitution of the United States, invoked “the favor and guidance of
Almighty God” in its Preamble.
The true history of the new Nation
brought forth on this Continent by the men who signed the Declaration of
Independence in 1776 and the men who fought for its principles in 1861-1865 is
that this was, from the beginning, a Christian Nation.
That Nation today stands in great need of
spiritual renewal. By the blessing of God, our Nation remains to us, and our
land has been blessed with peace and prosperity. But in the midst of that peace
and prosperity, our people have forgotten Him. It is for us, whose mission is
to pass down the lessons of the true history of our Country to future
generations, to remind our children and grandchildren of this lesson: Blessed
is the nation whose God is the Lord.”
The answer to our nation's deepest
problems will not be found in elections alone, nor in wealth or power, but in
humble hearts turning once again to the Lord. The promise of Psalm 33 remains
as true today as when David first penned it: "Blessed is the nation whose
God is the LORD." For it is in the Kingdom of God, and in His
righteousness, that our Republic found its first strength, and will find its
long endurance.
May this Independence Day find us
grateful for the blessings of liberty, mindful of the sacrifices of those who
came before us, and above all, committed to seeking first the Kingdom of God.
Deo
Vindice!
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