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In the hot summer of 1787, delegates from the thirteen states met in Philadelphia to alter our national government so as to fix some flaws we had been trying to live with for eleven years. The meeting was not going well. In fact, after a month of meetings, there was such division it looked liked the Convention would break up–and along with it, the young nation. It was recorded that George Washington, the President of the Convention, had a look of gravest concern, almost despair, on his face. He could see all the sacrifice of the men at Valley Forge, Brandywine, and other horrendous battles during the Revolutionary War, going “down the drain.” It was at this critical moment that a man not known to be a Christian, rose to his feet. And Ben Franklin stated,
“The small progress we have made after four or five weeks…is, [I] think,…proof of the imperfection of the Human Understanding.
In the situation of this Assembly, groping as it were in the dark to find political truth…how has it happened, Sir, that we have not hitherto once thought of humbly applying to the Father of lights to illuminate our understanding?
In the beginning of the contest with Great Britain, when we were sensible of danger, we had daily prayer in this room for Divine protection.—Our prayers, Sir, were heard, and they were graciously answered. All of us who were engaged in the struggle must have observed frequent instances of a superintending Providence in our favor.
…And have we now forgotten that powerful friend? Or do we imagine we no longer need His assistance?
I have lived, Sir, a long time, and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth—that God Governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without His aid?
We have been assured, Sir, in the Sacred Writings, that ‘except the Lord build the House, they labor in vain that build it.’ I firmly believe this; and I also believe that without His concurring aid we shall succeed in this political building no better than the Builders of Babel: We shall be divided by our partial local interests; our projects will be confounded, and we ourselves shall become a reproach and bye word down to future ages.
And what is worse, mankind may hereafter from this unfortunate instance, despair of establishing Governments by Human wisdom and leave it to chance, war, and conquest.
I therefore…move—that henceforth prayer imploring the assistance of Heaven, and its blessing on our deliberations, be held in this Assembly every morning before we proceed to business…”
(William J. Federer, America’s God & Country, p.248)
Can we believe for a miracle of revival to be worked in America in 2012 that would so change our thinking to be God’s thinking, that we could, once again, build our nation on the basis of a covenant with Him—and one another?
The Bible tells how it happened some 800 years before Christ, in the days of the Kings of Judah. A wicked woman, Athaliah, had ascended the throne of Judah illegally. The Priest, Jehoiada, a man of courage, talked with army leaders and made an agreement with them to overthrow the wicked Athaliah and restored the young king, Joash, to the throne of Judah. They did this and the Bible says,
“And all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was in quiet (peace)…”
(2 Kings 11:20)
We can do this, this coming November—with our vote. Are you registered to vote? Don’t you think you should be?
Think about it; because if you don’t, someone else will do your thinking for you—
and for your children! And you won’t like what that brings to you. I’m Don Pinson this has been Think About It.