What Makes America Exceptional?
[Major (Ret.) William J. Ostan, Esq., shares his heart for America with us again today. He is one the Lord has given a deep passion for our nation to. He and his wife, Jen, founded Arc of Justice.]
“There are two things I think we have to hold onto to maintain our nation. I believe God blesses America. I believe He does that so we can be a blessing to others. It’s the same reason He blessed Abraham in the Bible—as a sign of His covenant. We cannot forget to thank God daily for His many blessings. We can’t take them for granted.
“The second thing was articulated well by Abraham Lincoln. At 28 years old, Lincoln gave a speech in which he said, ‘The silent artilleries of time will make us forget.’ He was referring to our Christian roots and heritage. We can’t just go about our business day after day and year after year and not remind ourselves of our history or we will forget our history. We need to teach our children of our Christian roots and our founding. We need to know who our founders were, the things they said, and how they sought God and acknowledged Him when they acted. If we don’t, we will eventually move so far away from the truth that the country just happens to shift to a more secular society. I believe that has happened more and more over time. Today, many of our young adults don’t know anything about the role of God and Christianity in our founding, roots, and history. If we don’t purposefully act, then secularism will just take over. Lincoln was called to save our nation and we need to know how he navigated that challenge in the Lord. It is part of the history of this land.
“I think about my two daughters as I ponder the writings of Abraham Lincoln and others God raised up to lead this country. I love to read and I love to think about ideas. I know this country was founded by God to bless the world and to spread freedom everywhere, but it’s also for my daughters and their future children. It’s so they can continue to live a life of blessing and they can continue to propagate the Gospel.
“That’s why I believe America is exceptional. It’s not because we’re smarter, more powerful, or better than other nations. It is because we were founded by God on an idea that all men are created equal and endowed with certain unalienable rights. We are all sinners saved by grace. We are all fallen. We are in the same spiritual boat whether in a developing nation or here in America. We were created equal in the eyes of God. What makes us exceptional as a nation is that we were founded on biblical truth.
“Have we carried out this mandate of America perfectly? No. We live in a fallen world and we have had wars and injustice, racism, greed, and many other issues. However, I know the Lord will continue to lead us, guide us, correct us, and heal us, because His eye is upon America.”
“Blessed is the people whose God is the Lord; the people whom he has chosen for his own inheritance… From the place of his habitation he looked upon all the inhabitants of the earth. He fashioned all of their hearts; he considers all their works. The king is not saved by the multitude of the army; the mighty man does not escape by much strength. Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon those that fear him, upon those that wait for his mercy to deliver their souls from death and to keep them alive in the famine. Our soul waited for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. Therefore our heart shall rejoice in him because we have trusted in the name of his holiness.” (Psalm 33:12, 14-16, and 18-21; JUB)
Give Him 15 minutes in prayer:
Worship God for the many blessings He has given you and your family. Be specific.
Worship Him for the many blessings He has given the United States of America. Thank God that He continues to watch over us. Recount some of our national blessings.
Ask the Lord to continue to bless this nation for the sake of your children and the generations to come.
Pray about the education of our nation’s children in the true history of this country. Repent if you haven’t paid attention to what your children are being taught or not taught in school about America’s history. Consider how you can incorporate this into your own family time. You can find resources here, here, and here.
Intercede passionately for the Lord to continue to intervene in our nation’s affairs as we humble ourselves and pray.
A prayer you can pray:
God, I worship You because You are wholly worthy of my worship, honor, and praise. I glorify Your wonderful and Holy name. Only You are holy. I am so blessed by You. You have met every need I and my family have had. [Say some of those things to Him now.] You have also greatly blessed America. You have granted this nation a grace to continue to be free and extend that freedom worldwide for over 244 years. We have been through much, but You have continued to save us and keep us moving forward because You have a plan for America. [Recount some of those blessings in your own words here.]
Lord, I ask You to forgive the sins we commit as a nation and allow my children and grandchildren to experience the wonder of Your blessings. Let them see the miracle of Your hand working in America. We are not special or deserving, but You have decided to establish this place for Your purposes. You watch over Your work and uphold Your covenant and we are humble recipients. Save us, Lord, and we shall be saved. Keep me on my knees and let me speak freely of Your involvement in America, both historically and currently. Let me speak of these things to my children, so they may pass these truths on to their offspring as well. To You be the Glory in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
Today’s decree:
The Lord is watching over America to perform His Will through us.
Today's post was transcribed from a podcast conversation between Dutch and Will titled "The Greatness of America, Part 1 & Part 2." You can listen to the whole podcast here.