Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord…
Psalm 33:12
Regardless of the yardstick you use to define what blessed means, our nation (and the life we enjoy here) still measures up.
Our democratic republic was an experimental idea that invoked smirks from some, disdain from others, and hope to many more. And almost 250 years later, it’s still working.
We are blessed.
Recent world events are a reminder of just how great those blessings are. Each day, as we see heartbreaking stories of military aggression, bombings, callous disregard for human life, and displaced families fleeing their homes, we cannot help but be horrified by the violence taking place in Eastern Europe … and increasingly grateful of our lives here in the United States.
This country exists and functions by the principles laid out in our Constitution. Do you realize that you and I are mentioned in this historic document? Right there in the Preamble where the Founders recorded their intention to:
“… secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity…”
Posterity means you and me! The men who wrote those words put life, liberty, honor, and financial security on the line to make them a reality. Each generation since has stepped up to do the same.
Our blessings of liberty are secure so long as collectively we are willing to defend them – to the death, if need be. The truth of this hits home when we see citizens of other nations, forced to rise up in defense of their own country and their way of life.
Blessed is our nation. Blessed are we as citizens of this nation.
Psalm 33:12 says: Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord…
Reaping the fruits provided by the sacrifices of others brings a lot of “happy” to our lives. But if blessing is defined as “happiness upon happiness,” then ultimate blessing to us as citizens individually, and to us as a nation corporately, can only be fully realized when we bow to God Almighty.
Perhaps the divide we see in our nation today proves this point. Getting a certain candidate elected, pushing for the agenda we support, lobbying and debating, persuading and posturing to garner political points … it’s all so tiresome and temporary. These short-term gains can never, ever bring eternal blessing.
Today’s headlines should not only prompt sincere prayer for Ukrainians who find their lives upended by war, but remind us to appreciate the many rights and privileges we so often take for granted as Americans. We should also reflect on who we are, how we got here, and maybe where we need to be, both individually and corporately. We’re happy to be citizens of our country, but are we blessed in the true, deep, biblical sense of being blessed?
How can we expect our nation corporately to make God our Lord if we as individuals fail to bow to Him? If you claim Jesus as your Savior, how do you prove that faith by bowing to Him as LORD?
Blessed are the citizens of the nation whose God is the Lord.
Let’s ask ourselves: how do we assure we aren’t settling for happy, when blessing awaits?
This week’s Bible study found us in II Kings, chapters 11 and 12. Listen today as Laura shares thoughts on two key women in the passage: Athaliah and Jehosheba. One was used by the enemy, the other used mightily by God. We hope their stories challenge you to steward your influence well!
It’s not too late to join us for this month’s Write The WORD. Our March theme is BLESSED. Visit our Downloads page for free copies of this newest bookmark, the optional S.O.A.P study pages, and more.
This week, I would ask you to make a special effort to pray for the protection of innocent civilians impacted by the attacks on Ukraine, and for peace in Eastern Europe.
