"And you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father and serve him with a whole heart and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches all hearts and understands every plan and thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will cast you off forever." - 1 Chronicles 28:9
King David spoke these words to his son Solomon as he passed the torch of leadership on to him. They were words of counsel, advice, a blessing and also a warning.
Today we celebrate the anniversary of the founding of our country, the United States of America, 245 years ago. In the grand scope of History that’s a relatively short period of time; on the other hand, few empires have endured for as long as our country has. We have grown and prospered in these years by God’s blessing, from thirteen rag-tag rebel colonies on the Atlantic coast to become the wealthiest and most powerful nation in World History.
As we celebrate and give thanks to God for His guidance and blessing on our founding fathers and on our predecessors in the generations before us, it’s good to stop and think about the words of David as he passed on his great wealth and power to Solomon and his generation.
If we will seek to know the God of our fathers and serve Him with a whole heart and a willing mind, He will be able to continue His blessing on our nation. It’s not a matter of being perfect; no one is, and God’s great mercy takes all of our many faults into account. It’s the attitude of the heart that makes a nation great and God sees the heart. If we turn our backs on God and forsake Him, then He will cast us off, as well. America, this great experiment in freedom and liberty, will come to an end. There are enemies within and without who are waiting to pounce and make that happen and only the blessing of God keeps them at bay. Lord, we recognize that all we have is a gift from You. You have guided our country through the years by Your Word and blessed us as we have sought to live by it. Oh God, keep us as a nation from forsaking You. Give us a whole heart and a willing mind to seek Your face and be led by Your Word. Forgive our many faults and have mercy on us in this generation, for Jesus’ sake. Amen. Pastor Dan Giles