As we look around us, we see evil invading our world. I daresay, it is less visible in my day-to-day life. It would be easy to ignore the news that blares forth from throughout the nation and the world. However, that does not deplete the reality of the suffering, pain, and devastation that envelops the world. And ravages in the streets of America. Suicide, drug addiction, violence, hate, and human trafficking are merely manifestations of the devastating illness that eats away at the core of our nation. In this century, we have witnessed terror attacks, poverty, political unrest, racial divisions, natural disasters, a deadly plague, and now sky-rocketing inflation. Yet, through it all, we keep looking for someone to restore America with strength, prosperity, and Glory. But Who Alone can do that?
Our nation was founded to be a city on the hill. A beacon of light, hope and freedom shining forth into a broken world. The founders were human and did make mistakes. However, they recognized their own ineptness and foolish. Turning repentantly to God for wisdom, America grew. Blessed by God, America grew in strength, power and prosperity. Then the nation cast God aside for a humanistic view. People declaring themselves the victors of their own destiny, ignored God. That is where we are.
It is not the first time. But I fear this time may be the last. Unless we turn in full repentance, as a nation and seek God, our destiny may be already determined. Like that of the divided nations of Israel and Judah when right before they were destroyed. They were overthrown by the Assyrians and then the Babylonians. Why? Because They failed to heed the warning.
Why the Wrath must come
God knows that humans left to their own imaginations will ultimately destroy all that is righteous and good; therefore, He must intervene. Love demands it. What mother or father would allow their children to do whatever they desire? Standing by as they injure the most vulnerable. Holding fast to the idea of survival of the fittest and allowing the weak and innocent to be destroyed. Would we call that love? A world with no justice! Or would you prefer a world of robots incapable of truly feeling love, gratitude, joy or glory. Ah, but God did not see that as a loving action either. For to truly know and feel all that we are capable of, we must have been given choice. But with choice comes danger of choosing badly.
Yet in the midst of it all, God gave us so many gifts to draw us to see Him in His Glory. Surrounding us with nature and beauty and surprising us with joy. Perhaps a sunset. A gentle kiss of love. The arms of a mother cradling her baby. Or a Father lifting one high on his shoulders. All these to remind us we are more than a mere creature of chance. Yet, as a nation we sought after other gods of our own making. Pride, money, self-indulgence, and power. All promising happiness, but unable to deliver or fulfill that longing in our hearts. So now what? Who Alone can restore America?
2 Chronicles 7—Who Alone Can Restore America?
13 If I shut up heaven that there be no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people; 14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
19 But if ye turn away, and forsake my statutes and my commandments, which I have set before you, and shall go and serve other gods, and worship them; 20 Then will I pluck them up by the roots out of my land which I have given them; and this house, which I have sanctified for my name, will I cast out of my sight, and will make it to be a proverb and a byword among all nations. 21 And this house, which is high, shall be an astonishment to every one that passeth by it; so that he shall say, Why hath the Lord done thus unto this land, and unto this house? 22 And it shall be answered, Because they forsook the Lord God of their fathers
So, which will it be?
God Sent a Humble Servant to Restore America
On November 2, 1980—one day before the election, Ronald Reagan spoke these words;
Do not mistake me, no reasonable man who sees the world as it is, who views the deterioration of our economy, the waning of our relationships with our allies, the growth of Soviet might and the sufferings of our recent past could underestimate the difficulties before us.
But I wonder if those who doubt America have forgotten that just as in the lives of individuals so too in the lives of nations: it is always when things seem most unbearable that we must have faith that Americas trials have meaning beyond our own understanding.
Since her beginning America has held fast to this hope of divine providence, this vision of man with God.
It is true that world peace is jeopardized by those who view man not as a noble being but as an accident of nature, without soul, and important only to the extent he can serve an all powerful state.
But it is our spiritual commitment more than all the military might in the world that will win our struggle for peace.
It is not bombs and rockets but belief and resolve it is humility before God that is ultimately the source of Americas strength as a nation
Our people always have held fast to this belief, this vision, since our first days as a nation.[1]
And A Warning came in his speech.
Then in that same speech, Reagan repeatedly the warning on which we were founded.
I know I have told before of the moment in 1630 when the tiny ship Arabella bearing settlers to the New World lay off the Massachusetts coast. To the little bank of settlers gathered on the deck John Winthrop said: we shall be a city upon a hill. The eyes of all people are upon us, so that if we shall deal falsely with our God in this work we have undertaken and so cause him to withdraw his present help from us, we shall be made a story and a byword through the world.
So, which will it be? Will we become merely a byword? The one whom other nations will ask what happened, with the reply being, “Because they forsook the Lord God of their fathers”
Therefore, who alone can restore America with Strength, Prosperity, and Glory? It is God Alone who can. He is waiting, patiently to do just that if only we would as a nation repent and turn to Him. But that begins with you and me. Are we willing to pray as did Daniel for his nation?
Daniel 4:4-18
"O Lord, great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant and mercy with those who love Him, and with those who keep His commandments, we have sinned and committed iniquity, we have done wickedly and rebelled, even by departing from Your precepts and Your judgments. Neither have we heeded Your servants the prophets, who spoke in Your name to our kings and our princes, to our fathers and all the people of the land. O Lord, righteousness belongs to You, but to us shame of face, as it is this day…"O Lord, to us belongs shame of face, to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, because we have sinned against You. To the Lord our God belong mercy and forgiveness, though we have rebelled against Him. We have not obeyed the voice of the LORD our God, to walk in His laws, which He set before us …. ",all this disaster has come upon us; yet we have not made our prayer before the LORD our God, that we might turn from our iniquities and understand Your truth. Therefore the LORD has kept the disaster in mind, and brought it upon us; for the LORD our God is righteous in all the works which He does, though we have not obeyed His voice. And now, O Lord our God, …we have sinned, we have done wickedly! "O Lord, according to all Your righteousness, I pray, let Your anger and Your fury be turned ….. Your people are a reproach to all those around us. Now therefore, our God, hear the prayer of Your servant, and his supplications, and for the Lord’s sake cause Your face to shine on Your sanctuary, which is desolate. O my God, incline Your ear and hear; open Your eyes and see our desolations, and the city which is called by Your name; for we do not present our supplications before You because of our righteous deeds, but because of Your great mercies.
And So
19 I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:
20 That thou mayest love the Lord thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the Lord sware unto thy fathers
Deuteronomy 30; 10-20
DO YOU KNOW CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOR AND LORD? He is our only Hope in Life and Death! Our Joy is found in Him.
Therefore if you don’t know Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord: I urge you today. Go to my page titled How to Be Saved by clicking on this link. There is nothing more important than this; because He is the way, the truth and the life. Therefore, I urge you to seek Him today.
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DISCLOSURES
©Effie Darlene Barba, 2021
Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. Furthermore, I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned except for my own books. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.
Credits
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[1] https://www.reaganlibrary.gov/archives/speech/election-eve-address-vision-america