After a few minutes of reading it occurs to me that we have never had a 4th of July to face like this one. Our ancestors did. How do you think folks felt about the hopelessness of their situations on July 4, 1777. How about July 4, 1860, '61, '62, '63, '64 or even 1865. Surely in 1865 some were celebrating a great victory while some were mourning a great loss. A loss that affected every household in the country.
I am starting to get a feeling of desperation from many of my friends. What is worse, many are raising the white flag and acknowledging defeat and preparing for God's judgement on our land. I stand right beside those who feel a judgement, a harsh one, is coming. But I am not hopeless about my nation. You see, I can find not one example in the Holy Scriptures where man sought to repent and God did not accept. Sure, he made some folks, Like King David for example pay a heavy price for their sin. In David's case, his adultery with Bathsheeba and his murder of her husband cost him a young son. Yet God later blessed David so much we can all probably recite his blessed Psalm 23. I believe it ends with... Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever
God not only works with individuals but with nations too. Isreal's mortal enemey, the great city of Ninevah, was just as corrupt and rotten as we are. Yet even so God sent Jonah to preach repentance to them. And guess what, they repented, even their king did, and the city was spared the judgement, at least until they later returned to evil. Jonah, the Jewish prophet of God felt it unfair that such evil people had been spared. God's response can be found in Jonah 4: 11, the last verse of the book...
"But Nineveh has more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left, and many cattle as well. Should I not be concerned about that great city?" What a beautiful sign of God's love for sinners. I believe when He stated "more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left" He was referring to young babes and children. He even said He was concerned for the cattle!
Knowing all that, how can we doubt Him now. He birthed us as a free nation by defeating the greatest military on earth. He nursed us through two world wars and how can we forget the blessing of peace we have in this country. It is sure different than 1861-1865. A time when Americans were killing Americans.
Now, for the other side... God's judgement may very well be upon us already. I don't know but it is a great time to call on him. Let us pray for our nation. Let us not look to either political party for an answer but rather let us pray that God will, for we can't, return this country to one that honors Him and His will.
I apologize for preaching. I just want everybody to remember God is still on His throne and still in charge.
I hope everybody has a happy 4th of July.