O say can you see ~ we need an awakening. A quarter millennial, how exciting is this?
With all eyes on Philadelphia as we celebrate this historical milestone of America 250, we have reason to reflect on the faithfulness of God. The city stands as a reminder that liberty thrives when we the people hold onto virtue and foundation. Have we?
True patriotism means mourning a nation who falls short of God’s holiness
America still looks pretty good for turning 250 years old but her divine roots definitely need a touch up. Because we have allowed old glory to fade with time. The founders of old had strong convictions that were shaped by scripture and prayer. But time changes zeal . .
The star-spangled truth is that our nation was founded on the prayers of men and women who stood on holy ground. May we be the same and declare brave and bold right where we’re standing. It’s the historical space where spiritual revival met political liberty to shape early America.
I’m old enough to have had a (third) child born a 1976 bicentennial baby. Once a Philly girl, I’ve walked the same cobblestone streets as the founding fathers. So I’ve lived a lot of history – enough to avoid the whitewashed and the rewritten. Taking a walk through Olde City is a common path through a living museum as you pass by the Betsy Ross House, Independence Hall and a few blocks away to a fractured Liberty Bell adorned in scripture.
And then through the threshold of Christ Church, the primitive parish where you can almost breathe in the spiritual heritage of the colonial leaders who once worshipped there. Brass markers identify the box-pews of a few like George Washington, George and Betsy Ross, and Ben Franklin. The baptismal font is still in use today of where William Penn was baptized.
If you want a soul-stir, check out the movie The Great Awakening – the brilliant film by Sight & Sound. It tells of the uncanny friendship of a passionate preacher-revivalist and a secular statesman. George Whitefield and Benjamin Franklin. Long before the white-wigged founders were putting pen to parchment in 1776, these two men were putting the gospel into the hands of the colonies. Whitefield’s loud sermons on a hillside were as electric as Ben’s kite and key.
Even though Ben dug in his buckled-black heels, he was the one who called for prayer at the Constitutional Convention. Sometimes historical truth is more complicated than we know.
It can be a rude awakening . . .
It all happened a long time ago. And a longer time ago, it was being set in place by a sovereign Almighty who deserves our faithfulness. And so do the generations hereafter – for us to leave a legacy of prayer for those who need to believe –our grands and greats and theirs and theirs~
Bless your celebration of the 250th on the 4th and after — portions of this article appear on https://livingseasonsministry.com my guest post blog, True Source of Liberty. Please check out Lynda’s community and also her upcoming release, The Locket available on Amazon.
Seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have called you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it . . . Jere 29:17
Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord , the people He chose for His inheritance Ps 33:12
Verna
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