We read in Psalm 33:12, “Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people he chose for his inheritance.” We must never forget what God has done in the past for America. We must also realize what God can do for America in the future.
This month we will celebrate Memorial Day. The year 1868 was the first time DECORATION DAY was observed in the United States to honor the Union & Confederate soldiers who died during the Civil War. In 1882 the name was changed to MEMORIAL DAY to honor ALL United States soldiers who died in service to our country.
If we look at the first colony in Jamestown, Virginia we find that the first community building was a church and it is the only building with wall still standing. The Puritans first act at Plymouth Rock was to kneel, pray and dedicate a new colony. Lord Baltimore held church service in establishing Maryland. William Penn established Pennsylvania on Christian principles.
When you read the writings of the founders of our country there is no doubt that God had a place in the founding of America. Our Founding Fathers consistently spoke of the need for utilizing the Bible and Judeo-Christian values in defining and preserving this nation. Twelve of the original 13 colonies incorporated the entire Ten Commandments into their civil and criminal codes.
President John Adams stated, “The law given from Sinai was a civil and municipal code as well as a moral and religious code. These are laws essential to the existence of men in society and most of which have been enacted by every Nation which ever professed any code of laws.” Vain indeed would be the search among the writings of secular history to find so broad, so complete and so solid a basis of morality as the Ten Commandments lay down.” (Note that the American Bible Society was started by an act of Congress and John Adams, our second president, served as its first leader.)
President George Washington said, “It is impossible to govern the world without God and the Bible. Of all dispositions and habits that lead to political prosperity, our religion and morality are indispensable supporters.” In 1782, the U.S. Congress voted in favor of a resolution recommending and approving the Bible for use in the schools. Patrick Henry, first governor of Virginia and a member of the Continental Congress, stated, “It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great nation was founded, not by religionists, but by Christians; not on religions, but on the Gospel of Jesus Christ.”
Our Constitution ends “in the year of our Lord.” Our Nation’s motto: “In God we trust.” Our Pledge is “One nation under God.” Our country has survived two world Wars. We must acknowledge God’s hand upon our nation. Speaking of the British our strongest ally, it is quite obvious that it was the hand of God that saved Great Britain when all of Europe had fallen. So don’t take our freedom for granted.
Your freedom is not free, just ask a parent who lost a son in a war. Ask a child who lost a father. Ask a man who lost a leg, arm, or was injured for life. What has God done for America? God has richly blessed America. How sad that in my lifetime I have seen the emphasis on God and His blessing forgotten by so many. In 1954, Congress after a campaign by the Knights of Columbus, added the words, “under God,” to the Pledge. The Pledge is now both a patriotic oath and a public prayer. As we prepare to observe another Memorial Day, I would like to reflect back with gratitude, remembering those who gave their lived for our great nation. Because of their sacrifice we enjoy the freedom we know as Americans.
Let us pray that we will continue to enjoy this God given freedom that we should never take for granted.