Getting Political

TITLE: Getting Political
DATE: January 16, 2020
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Christ is risen. He is risen, indeed.

TEXT:   1 Timothy 2:1-4 – ESV - First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, 2 for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. 3 This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

Over the centuries, prayers of penance have  helped America.

Three years after the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth a severe drought burned the grass and threatened to destroy the crops. Food was exhausted and no longer could the colonists depend on supplies from England. In that dark hour, when all expected to die of hunger, the Pilgrim Fathers took refuge in God. For almost 9 hours, on a day of prayer, they pleaded with the Almighty and the Lord heard them Before evening rain began to fall; the refreshing showers continued long enough so that the parched vegetation was revived and the harvest spared.

 The Plymouth Colony was saved by prayer.

A century later, in 1746, when the French in Nova Scotia equipped 40 warships to destroy New England, the churches set aside a day of prayer where they sought divine help. While the colonists were at prayer a wind arose. Under continued entreaty that God would use this wind to save the country, the storm became a hurricane. The French fleet was wrecked. The commander and the second officer committed suicide, hundreds drowned and others died of disease and exposure.

Prayer had brought deliverance.

Again in the winter of 1777 prayer prevailed. The American struggle for independence seemed lost. At Valley Forge the Continentals, hungry, ill-clothed, ill-shod, unpaid, and disorganized, stained the Pennsylvania shows with their life's-blood. Not far away, in Philadelphia and New York, the supporters of England enjoyed a smart social season and the atheist Tom Paine wrote vicious attacks against George Washington. In those gloomy hours, Washington, according to an eye-witness. knelt down as thousands knelt in their churches during that crisis and pleaded with God to sustain the American cause.

Light and hope dawned and from that time on, the prospects for victory brightened.

Likewise, prayer helped save our country in 1863 when the Confederate troops had not only defeated the Union army in the South but even advanced far into northern territory. In that time of testing, Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a day of prayer and penance, requesting the nation to ask of God "pardon for our national sins and restoration of our suffering country.

That plea, too was answered, for within two months the battle of Gettysburg had won and the Union was saved.
It is right today that we once again join with others in a day of prayer.

I say that because I’m really tired of people criticizing our President.

Now you may think I am getting political. Nope. I got tired of people criticizing his predecessor. I’m sure I will get tired of the criticism directed against whomever succeeds him. I remember all governments are put into place by God.

We may not agree with our leaders, but we need to respect them.

THE PRAYER: Lord, You have appointed leaders to govern us. Grant that they be good leaders and we be faithful followers. Most of all let us try to walk in Your will and way,. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.  

The music which introduces and concludes our devotions was written by Guy Baumann. He along with three of his brothers perform on the album: The Baumann Brothers which may be ordered here: http://thebaumannbrothers.com/index.html