E Pluribus Unum

“Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness

and who seek the Lord:

Look to the rock from which you were cut

and to the quarry from which you were hewn;

look to Abraham, your father,

and to Sarah, who gave you birth.

When I called him he was only one man,

and I blessed him and made him many.

Isaiah 51:1-2 NIV

So many things are transpiring in our nation especially this week with the political season now in high gear. It got me thinking about our founding Fathers and what they put into place. Abraham was called of God to create a nation from one person, his son Isaac. God made Abraham a promise that his seed would be like the sands and the stars, too many to number. What about us, or the US?

Our money states E Pluribus Unum, "out of many, one." We are a nation created by immigrants from many nations. We are a melting pot of peoples, united by the belief and hope of freedom given to us by God.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness. - Declaration of Independence

In searching documents written by our Founding Fathers, there are numerous examples of their faith in God's hand creating our nation. Even as late as 1956, the US government had the words "In God We Trust" written on our paper currency. It was first written on US coins in 1864. 

But what happens when we forget that our rights are given to us by God? What happens when we fail to honor His laws? Perhaps the same thing that happened to the nation God created through Abraham and Sarah. The nation of Israel went through numerous enslavements when they turned from the God who gave them life. God still loves and favors Israel, a nation He created from one. He still loves and favors this nation He created from many. What will we do with what God has so richly blessed us with? 

If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. II Chronicles 7:14

Heavenly Father, in the Psalms David asked You to search him and see if there be any wicked way in him. He wanted a right relationship with you and to receive your blessings. Lord, we ask that you might help us seek a right relationship with you so that you might bless us again. Give us wisdom as we face upcoming elections. In Jesus's name. Amen.

Hey Kids:

I want to challenge you to investigate the service men and women in your family. 

What cool pictures and stories can you find?

Did anyone fight in the Revolutionary War? Sign the Declaration of Independence? 

Did anyone serve in WWII or Vietnam? 

Is someone in your family currently serving in the Armed Forces? 

Have you thought about writing a thank you note to those in your family who have/are serving?

I had a ggg grandfather who served in the Revolutionary War. Perhaps you did too.

They can't read our thank you notes, but we can publish them for others to share in our gratitude for our founding fathers and those who served to preserve for us the freedom to worship and serve the God who made us one nation out of many. 

I'm anxious to read your thank you notes! You are welcome to publish them in the comments with your parents' permission. 

 

Where there is no vision, the people perish: ~Proverbs 29:18a

One of my favorite contemporary Christian songs is Keep Me in the Moment by Jeremy Camp. I knew what the song meant to me but I wanted to know his reason for writing it. 

Jeremy Camp lost his first wife to ovarian cancer just four months after their marriage. He wrote this song as part of the film "I Believe". He has since remarried and has a daughter who is growing up fast. Jeremy wants to stay in the moment with her and his wife so he doesn't look back on all the things he missed. 

I wondered how many things I'm missing because they pass by so quickly in my busy life. I feel I need to be intentional in my relationships so that I can not only savor the moments but use those moments to fulfill God's purpose in my life. I gave my high school class an assignment to research the reasons behind their favorite Christian songs — any genre. Then they were to write why they chose that particular song, what it meant to them personally. 

This is how I felt Keep Me in the Moment is playing out in my life. 

Create relationships through

• Listening to others — giving full attention
• Patience
• Kindness
• Speaking the truth in love
• Protecting confidence
• Create trust
• Persevere

Relationships open doors

• Creates opportunities to share the gospel
• Builds relationships to disciple believers
• Demonstrates love

Faith, Hope, Love

And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

~I Corinthians 13:13 NKJV

Father, keep me in the moment so that I have a vision for building Your kingdom.  You have told us in Your word the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea. (Habakkuk2:14). May Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. (Matthew 6:10) In Jesus's name. Amen

Hey Kids:

What's your favorite Christian song?

Do a little research to find out "the why" behind the author's reason for the song. 

What meaning does this song have for you?

Make a poster to share with your Sunday School class about the importance of this song in your life. 

Mercy Drops

 

Those who dwell under his shadow shall return;

They shall be revived like grain,

And grow like a vine.

Their scent shall be like the wine of Lebanon.

~Hosea 14:7 (NKJV)

There's a storm brewing over on the mountain. The billowy clouds rise above the haze. The thunder rolls like distant cannon fire, ever increasing in intensity as the battle draws closer. As of yet, there is no sight of lightning, only heat and humidity and the silence of waiting. No stirring breeze. Then the wrens begin to fuss, the robins chirp, and the crows call alarming the trees to the impending weather war. Do they feel their lives are endangered?

 As the storm draws near, it broadens its spectrum, rolling from one valley to the next. Down the hillside and up the other. How long before I must retreat inside to safety? Away from lightning bolts and pelting rain, swaying trees? Aww, it's just a summer storm they say. It will pass. But what will lie in its path? Will there be trees down, houses crushed, fires? Or simply the passing of another summer storm?

As I survey the skies of my younger days, I see political storms that came and went, leaving a little more destruction in their path each time. The last fifty years for the most part have not been kind to us. Apparently, we haven't learned a thing. As Israel mocked Jeremiah and the prophets, mocking seems to be quite the rage of our day. Morality, life, God-given identity, and Christians are mocked in the marketplace of today's cancel culture. 

The storm brought a passing shower and now I see a rainbow forming. I am also beginning to see a rainbow forming in the political storm of cancel culture. Right now the storm of cancel culture rages but maybe there's another storm forming underneath. People are coming together. 

 Maybe it's the rain of revival. 

Mercy drops round us are falling, 

but for the showers we plead. 

~D.W. Whittle (1840-1901)

Father, we pray for wisdom in the midst of the storm. We are thankful for the mercy drops of revival we see. Lord daily may we pray for the showers, the downpour of revival. In Jesus's name. Amen. 

Hey Kids:

The school year is beginning and there will be lots of changes. Change often brings opportunities. 

How we handle those changes and opportunities is the key to making a difference in the culture in which we live. 

Read Daniel Chapter 1 with your parents. Discuss how Daniel, a young man, must have felt as a captive. 

How did Daniel handle a situation where he had to choose between serving God and obeying the authority of the king?

How can Daniel's example help you as you begin the new school year?

Identity

 

And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit. Mark 4:7

The mockingbird called from the abandoned TV antennae on our roof. He sang one bird song after another. He knew hundreds. Then he paused, flew up in a dance showing off the white feathers under his wings. He must have been showing out for some girl bird off in the trees. Every spring he does his song and dance. Then the couple build a nest in the thorny wild orange tree in our backyard. It's not high off the ground, but no one and nothing would even think about fighting those thorns for a bite of nestlings. Those little mockingbirds grow up to copy other birds and make their nests among the thorns, low to the ground. 

As Christians, we have our own identities. Our actions give us our identities, but often we want to copy others so we fit in, impress others, and feel confident. We often end up in thorny situations where our testimony is choked by the cares of the world. Others, especially our children, see our actions and imitate us. The thorns of life choke them and keep them from attaining all God wants them to be. 

Heavenly Father, may we have one voice, Your words, because Your words are truth. May we rise above the things of this world that would entangle us. May we aspire to be like Jesus. In His name we pray.  Amen. 

Hey Kids:

The bright yellow of the goldfinches, the red and rust cardinal pairs, and yes, the mockingbirds are all filling the trees with song and color. 

It might be fun to take a few minutes to observe the habits of the birds of your area. Watch as they bring nesting material to trees, bushes, and birdhouses. 

Notice how the males draw attention to themselves. 

Watch a male cardinal feed his intended bride. 

Supplying food and water may increase your close-up view of birds in your backyard.

I found an app called Merlin from Cornell Lab that listens to bird calls and lets the user know the type of bird they hear. I wonder if it can distinguish the real song from the copycat of a mockingbird. 

You can ask your mom or dad to download it to their phone for a fun family activity. 

 

What thoughts does God bring to your mind while watching His creation in action?