God Bless America!
One morning, during a morning chat with God, I was asking for guidance and discernment for our nearing retirement. I asked for protection over our 401K and retirement funds, which lead me to praying for our government, which seems hell-bent on destroying what America, for centuries, has fought so hard for…freedom, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. The words that I spoke next are what lead me this HOPE Note. I prayed that the upcoming election would help bring relief to those who are suffering, because surely that wasn’t a part of His plan. Then I thought about all the countries in the world who’ve known nothing but suffering. The only difference…well really there are several…but when you don’t know any different, do you really know you’re suffering? We’ve known better times, so in these times of hyper-inflation and moral discord, we feel as though we’re in desperate times. That’s a long intro into this…Did God intend for America to be greater than the other nations?
Obviously, there’s no verse in the bible that says America will be a great nation, since America had not yet been discovered; so, my research had to go a different direction, into the history of our country. (Before I continue, let me say again…I am NOT a theologian nor am I a historian; I used Google to research my question and I came to the following conclusions.) It is said that Christopher Columbus “accidentally” discovered America; however, if I’m going to believe God had a plan and purpose for America, I’m guessing Columbus’ ship was on a direct course, even if he didn’t know it.
Next, the Puritans who came across on the Mayflower had religious beliefs that caused them to be exiled from England. They had a strong desire for freedom and they suffered dearly to achieve it. As they formed America’s first government, they did so using the Word of God as their guide and foundation. Pastor teaches us that the Father favors those who favor the Father, so I think that these Pilgrims found favor with God, founding and forming this new land to which they gave Him all the glory. Historians say that America would be the role model for the rest of the world, demonstrating that a country can thrive by reflecting the commandments of Christ, becoming the epitome of human liberty…a beacon of light to other troubled, repressed or tyrannous nations.
Dr. David Jeremiah wrote this. “America has learned what our repressive and terrorist adversaries do not understand: liberty without law is anarchy, liberty to defy law is rebellion, but liberty limited by law is the cornerstone of civilization. We Americans have tried to share what we have learned by exporting freedom wherever we have gone in the world. We have tried to help people understand that freedom is what creates the life God intended us to have from the beginning.” We see our leaders trying to shred history and knock America down “off her high horse.” Those who seek to destroy her see America as a “mean” country, a dominant nation stripping all wealth and blessing from the rest of the world. However, what country aids those less fortunate when Mother Nature shows her strength? What country is the refuge for so many seeking a better life, those are escaping tyranny? (I’m not supporting illegal immigration as we see today, but legal immigration and asylum.)
I have to believe God has a plan for America, just as He does for Israel, even though with our own vision, all we see is her current demise. I think He had a plan for America in the early 1600’s and I think He has a plan for her today. We must look back to our founding fathers and adopt their trust and faith that God would support them, provide for them, guide them and bestow blessing upon them as they believed whole-heartedly in His goodness, His mercy and grace and His favor on their land.
God Bless America!