WATCHWORD:
And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed. Genesis 12:2-3
For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour my Spirit upon your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants. Isaiah 44:3
But he said, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!” Luke 11:28
Meditation:
Separation of Church and State? Impossible!
Separation of church and state? This has been a source of discussion, argument, violence, immigration, civil unrest, and wars. It has divided families, it has divided nations. The concept has evolved since Moses came down from Mount Sinai carrying stone tablets. The evolution has been spotty, to say the least.
In 890 AD, an English king named Alfred the Great laid out the Book of Laws or Dooms. The English word for judgment or law was “doom”. King Alfred said: Doom very evenly! Do not doom one doom to the right; another to the poor! Nor doom one doom to your friend; another to your foe!
You can smile, but would you believe that this was the foundation piece of English common law! Here is another related matter, a little trick question you can use at your next gathering of friends. What is the inscription on the Liberty Bell and where does it come from. “Proclaim Liberty Throughout All the Land Unto All the Inhabitants thereof“. Leviticus 25:10. Hmm, a principle of our laws found in the Old Testament. Shocking!
It doesn’t matter if we’re talking about the genesis of English law, the Magna Carta, what is written on the liberty bell and believed by our founding fathers, or our Declaration of Independence, what we have is one indissoluble bond of the principles of Christianity with the principles of civil government. The imprint this lowly Carpenter from Nazareth, who just happens to be the son of God, is far-reaching. We see his influence even in laws that clearly state that people can choose not to follow Jesus, but they have must follow the laws inspired by Jesus.
I am not sure that separation of church and state can actually work where the rubber meets the road, the rights of people. The principles of government are simply filled with the principles of Christianity…Thank God!
Bulletin Board:
God Bless America … Again and Again
God bless America, Land that we love,
Stand beside her and guide her Thru the night with a light from above;
From the mountains, to the prairies,
To the oceans white with foam,
God bless America, our home, sweet home. God bless America,
our home, sweet home.
Closing Prayer:
Father, we seek Your sovereign blessing on our nation. Forgive us for our shortcomings and for the times when we have failed You. Draw us back to Your love and strengthen us as a nation to serve and honor You in all that we do. May we forever be faithful to the calling that You have given us. We respectfully and humbly give thanks for Your continued blessing. Amen.
