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 will forgive their sin and heal their land.
2 Chronicles 7: 14 NKJV
I grew up in an era where these United States have been considered to be blessed by the Lord God. That somehow we are a chosen nation among many whom God has decided to spread His favor. I will not argue that my country has indeed been blessed by the Lord over the years. However, I also know that we have committed our share of bad behaviors as well. Does our good outweigh the wrong we have done? I'm not sure, but I do find it a bit arrogant that we would stake claim to Gods blessed nation status. Especially since Israel, the Lords chosen people, has had such a troubled history. What makes us different? Well, I would agree that our nation was founded upon Christian principles by God fearing men. I would also agree that our own history is one of religious freedoms and recognizing the Lord. For much of our history, Sunday mornings have been known as a time where families gather to worship the Lord in their own way. This was what we did in a time before Sunday football games took over our interest. But to say that this nation has been blessed among all nations? I'm not buying that. What I will agree with is the fact that our country, as far as we can see, belongs to the Lord. He created it, He populated it...so I think that makes it His. In fact, everything that we see has the Lords fingerprints all over it. This is the belief that God is all in all. I made the comment to a friend this past week wondering how it is that we can ignore the fact that God is in all that we see if He is the one responsible for all which we see coming into existence. By His spoken word, He created all which surrounds us {Genesis 1:1}. It astounds me that, in a nation so deeply rooted in Christianity, that we have never had a holiday where we celebrate all which God has provided for us. Sure, we have Christmas and Easter, but we celebrate these expecting to get something in return.
"You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; For you created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created."
Revelation 4: 11 NKJV
I took a picture once while on a fishing trip of a sunrise over a local lake. Eventually, I decided that it was good enough to frame for display. I titled that picture "Gods sunrise" and it became one of my mothers favorite photos. As I stood on the shore of the lake that morning I wasn't thinking of the beauty which the Lord had provided, only that it looked good to me. That is what we are faced with when we began to see God as all in all. We may find ourselves no longer seeing things in relation to the physical properties of ions and oxygen, but in beauty of the Lords creation. Would that actress on tv look so attractive were she simply a pile of dust? Probably not, but those are her origins. We're told that God formed each of us from the dust of the ground {Genesis 2:7}. By His spoken word all which we see came into being. He was there from the beginning, and nothing came into existence without Him. We may from time to time allow our pride to broadcast our own accomplishments for all to see. Yet where would those accomplishments be without God? Would your accomplishments exist had you not been created? This is indeed a sobering realization once we understand that it's not we who make the world turn...but God.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.
John 1: 1 - 5 NKJV
~Scott~
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