“Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord,” Psalm 33:12
The United States is founded on the Law of Moses and Christian principles as taught by Jesus in the New Testament. Some would argue that we have strayed away from the “faith of our fathers,” but did those men who wrote the Constitution and the Bill of Rights really have saving faith in Jesus Christ? It’s an interesting question! I’m sure some of our presidents were committed Christians, but the more research I do only leads to more questions! Moral instructions were given, but is it evidence of true faith?
George Washington, our first president acknowledged the Hand of Providence and the Divine as the One for whom he owed thanksgiving for battles won. In his inaugural address he said, “Without a humble imitation of the Divine Author of our blessed Religion, we can never hope to be a happy Nation.”
John Adams our second president appears to be a man of God. He wrote, “The general principles on which the fathers achieved independence were the general principles of Christianity. I believe that those principles are as eternal and immutable as the existence and attributes of God.”
John Quincy Adams wrote, “The first and almost the only book deserving of universal attention is the Bible. I speak as a man of the world, ‘Search the Scriptures.’”
Andrew Jackson wrote, “That Book (Bible) is the Rock on which our Republic rests.”
Abraham Lincoln told a Christian pastor, “When I left Springfield, I asked the people to pray for me, I was not a Christian. When I buried my son, the severest trial of my life, I was not a Christian. But when I went to Gettysburg and saw the graves of thousands of our soldiers, I then and there consecrated myself to Christ. Yes, I do love Jesus.”
Grover Cleveland, a son of a preacher, said, “I know there is a Supreme Being who rules the affairs of men….I know He will not turn from us if we humbly and reverently seek His powerful aid.”
Ulysses S. Grant wrote, “Hold fast to the Bible as the anchor of your liberties, write its precepts in your hearts and practice them in your lives. To this book, we are indebted all the progress made in true civilization and to this book we look as our guide in the future. ‘Righteousness exalteth a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people,’” Proverbs 14:34.
Ronald Reagan wrote, “We need God’s help to guide our nation through stormy seas, but we can’t expect Him to protect America in a crisis if we just leave Him on the shelf in our day-to-day living.”
We can agree with all these quotes, but the Lord alone knows the condition of men’s hearts. We can pray for our leaders “for kings and all those in authority that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness,” 2 Timothy 2:2. God is sovereign overall and reigns over the affairs of men. “The Most High is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and gives them to anyone He wishes and sets over them the lowliest of men,” Daniel 4:17. Kings and presidents might think they are in control, but Proverbs 21:1 says, “The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; He turns it where He will.”
Billy Graham wrote: “American democracy rests on the belief in the reality of God…….ours is a freedom under law. But it is also a freedom that will evaporate if the spiritual foundations upon which it has been built are taken away.”
Some points to ponder! Your friend, Jean
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