Devotional: A Balance of Power
YLT Isaiah 33:22 For Jehovah our judge, Jehovah our
lawgiver, Jehovah our king -- He doth save us.
Why is America so great?
Many people
ask the question, “Why do we think America is so great above other
nations? Is it because of the size of
our country? Or the way we claim to be the best in national loyalty? Maybe it is great because we create the
greatest rock stars? I’m not sure that other countries can claim to have an
Elvis, Billy Joel or Michael Jackson.
But these are not the reasons why America is so great.
One reason that
our citizens have claimed our country to be so great is because from the very inception of
our country, the founders looked to God in order to guide them and the people
in creating a government that protects, governs and frees people to be who they
believe God created them to be.
The founding
fathers of the country did not take this idea lightly so they turned to
scripture to help them, as many of them were men who believed in the scripture
to lead people to a better understanding of the world.
The scripture
reference above was one of the leading aspects of how the founders understood
that governing a nation was bigger than one person like a king or unchecked
group like parliament. So, this
scripture was key to serving the citizen to know that people are always
understood as flawed and must have some way to balance the power of governing a
nation of free people.
Israel
understood that not only did Kings have power from God but Judges also guided
people to follow the laws of God and that there was a social law given not only
for the people but also for those who were given the task to serve in
leading. The number 3 comes up in the
founding and history of our country due to the idea that 3 is a special number
in the Bible. Concepts and lessons in
scripture helped the founders to know that 3 is a responsible number, Three in
the Godhead, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, the three virtues of faith, hope and charity. Three days of Jesus in the grave before the
resurrection. The scriptures divided
into 3 parts the prophets the law and psalms.
So why not the
president rather than King because only God can be called the King of any
people? The Judicial branch was only to
judge on the lawfulness of the people, and the Legislative branch, which would
make the laws by the guidance and allowance of the people who elected them. The framers of this country knew that people
are not good enough to trust with unbridled power.
So, one reason
that America is great is because we understand that only God is good enough to
rule, judge and lead a nation of free people.
KJV Isaiah 33:22 For the LORD is our judge, the LORD is our lawgiver, the LORD is our king; he will save us.
So, as you think our our country and celebrate the independence of it many years ago. Remember, that the Christian faith was directly intertwined with the developing of the nation that we cannot untangle our faith from the founding of America. That is why America is so great and we can look to our faith to thank the Lord above for the scriptures that inspired the men who determined to live out: Liberty, E pluribus unum and In God We Trust.
Have a happy and grateful Fourth of July
