Hooray for the Fourth

It seems that each year, this day of celebration gets here just a little bit quicker and leaves me a little wearier and a little less hopeful for what lies ahead. We all run hither and yon, wishing all those we know a “Happy 4^th”, singing patriotic songs, eating BBQ and watching fireworks. We collectively ask for God to Bless America and then, somehow seem perplexed when gas prices keep rising, crime escalates and our leaders debate in open forum the merits of partial birth abortions, gay marriages and legalized gambling. How can a righteous and holy God bless this mess that we now call America?

In fact, after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, Anne Graham Lotz was queried on the Early show, the host asking, “How could God let something like this happen?  Her response was quite profound. She said, “I believe that God is deeply saddened by this, just as we are, but for years we’ve been telling God to get out of our schools, to get out of our government and to get out of our lives. And, being the gentlemen that He is, I believe He has quietly backed out. How can we expect God to give us His blessing and His protection if we demand that He leave us alone?”

And that my friend, unfortunately, is the sad state of affairs that we find ourselves facing in this year, 2017. In my almost 68 years on this earth, I cannot remember a time when we as Americans have faced so much discourse from all. Yes, there were turbulent times as we righted the wrongs left behind by slavery; we have vehemently disagreed over wars fought during the Vietnam and Iraq eras and I am sure, as wars continue to exist until, we will continue to fight over which wars are just or unjust. But through all of these times, we (the vast majority of Americans that work hard to take care of our families and leave this world better than we found it) have always remained civil to each other, showing respects for each others as fellow Americans, no matter how far left or right our opinions divided us. Alas, it seems so long ago that we held each other in high esteem and cherished the freedom that allowed us to express our hopes and fears without condemning those with whom we disagreed.

It is in this unholy and turbulent atmosphere in which I believe God has slowly and surely left us to our own demise... and I am sure that it is breaking His heart to see how far we have fallen from our roots as a Christian nation. A country that He ordained through our forefathers, whose beliefs and allegiance to the Creator were unshakeable... one that began with such great and magnificent promise is now sinking fast and unless, God Himself, orchestrates some cataclysmic jolt….this nation that still prints “In God We Trust” on our money, is doomed to a bitter end.

There is one bright and shining star though ….His CHURCH, ordained to be both salt and light for such a time as this. Let us not shrink from the battles that lie before us, but rather put on the whole armor of God and wage war. We serve the Great Commander-in-Chief who has never been defeated ….and HE NEVER WILL BE!!!! Proclaim this July 4^th as our day of Dependence on the Creator of the Universe….and fight the good fight…..we know the outcome, WE WIN!    

MARCHING ON...Celebrating the coming Victory,

WPQ