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. 

A Patchwork Country

 

Photo by Nathan Bang on Unsplash 

Turn us back to You, O Lord, and we will be restored.

Lamentations 5:21 NKJV

Quilts --- small colored pieces of cloth stitched together in a pleasing pattern to provide comfort, warmth, and protection against the cold. 

I'd much rather have a quilt than a blanket. If you've seen one blanket, you've seen them all. Not so many years ago, women saved their scraps from the family clothes to make winter quilts. Often those scraps held memories of family events or funny stories. Scraps were saved from baby clothes, men's jackets, and even mourning clothes. My Papa bought a bolt of white cloth so Grandma could make the family Easter clothes, a dress for their little girl, a dress for her, and a Sunday shirt for Papa. Without thinking, Grandma dyed the whole bolt --- pink!

Yes, Papa wore his new pink shirt with his overalls that Easter of 1925. Wouldn't a piece of Papa's shirt make a great piece for a quilt? Their little girl had recovered from infantile paralysis. Wouldn't a piece of her dress make another great square? 

One Person Under God

 

For what nation is there so great, who hath God so nigh unto them, as the Lord our God is in all things that we call upon him for?

 And what nation is there so great, that hath statutes and judgments so righteous as all this law, which I set before you this day?

 Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life: but teach them thy sons, and thy sons' sons; Deuteronomy 4;7-9

We've all recited the Pledge of Allegiance and we are often reminded of the words "one nation, under God" but have you considered that you and I are one person under God? We want our nation to recognize God, but are we recognizing Him in our daily lives? 

In Deuteronomy 4,5 Moses is recounting how God gave the children of Israel the Ten Commandments. He is reminding them of how they promised God to obey His laws. The Israelites had heard the voice of God, the thundering and lightning, the smoke on the mountain, but they were afraid, so God had Moses go up on the mountain to receive the Ten Commandments. When Moses left, the people forgot their promise. By the time Moses came down in just forty short days, they were worshipping a golden calf! They had completely lost their fear of God. 

Where are we today? Are we not a nation so great with God so nigh in all the things we call upon Him for? Are not our statutes and judgments and laws righteously based on God's Ten Commandments? Have we failed to take heed? Have we forgotten all the things we have seen that God has brought us through? Have we failed to teach our children and our grandchildren? 

I won't be so pessimistic as to think there is no hope. I refuse to believe that we can no longer be "one nation under God". Beginning with the Mayflower Compact, it is He that hath made us and not we ourselves. Moses led the people of Israel — one man under God. William Brewster drew up the Mayflower Compact — one man under God. Harriet Beecher Stowe wrote for the abolition of slavery  — one woman under God. Are we not each one person — man or woman — under God who can be leaders in our homes, in our churches, in our communities, and in our nation? These and so many others have taken it upon themselves to be that one person, to make that difference, to lead their nation to be united, one nation under God. 

O that there were such an heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children for ever! Deuteronomy 5:29

May each of us be that one person under God's direction to change the direction of our homes, churches, communities, and nation so that God will bless America.

Blessings,

Gail

One Nation Under God

“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;

2 

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

Last weekend we celebrated Memorial Day in honor of our fallen service men and women. Independence Day is coming in July. It got me to 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?