On May 8, 1914, Congress passed a joint resolution to establish the second Sunday of May as Mother’s Day. Then on May 9th, the President signed the first proclamation saying, “I, Woodrow Wilson, President of the United States . . . invite the people of the United States to display the [United States] flag . . . as a public expression of our love and reverence for the mothers of our country.”
The proclamation sounded incredibly patriotic as I read it. Nothing was said about cards, candy and roses, but flying the American flag. It seemed odd. Then I got it. Embedded in the foundation of the United States are its mothers.
During the years 1776 to 1914 America fought in numerous wars beginning with the American Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, and the Civil War among others. Following 1914, America entered into World War I, then World War II. How could young husbands with children have gone off to defend this nation without courageous wives and mothers staying behind to defend their homes and care for their children? Thousands of these women never saw their husbands return becoming widows at an early age.
The role of women in our nation has changed much since 1776 and even 1914. Today, America’s landscape is filled with mom’s serving in the workforce, military and in elected office. However, the value of service they provide their families and America hasn’t changed. I sincerely believe there would be no America if it wasn’t for the sacrifice of our moms.
God also is embedded in the foundation of our nation. The acknowledgement and worship of God is evident throughout the historical accounts of America’s founding. However, where would the role of God be in our country without godly mothers? Mothers who carried out their faith by example and purposely invested godly qualities in their children. The difference between a good mom and a great mom is God. The Scriptures say, “Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised” (Proverbs 31:30).
The future of America is not bound up in our military might, academic achievements or financial strength. America’s hope rests in the priority of God and that begins in our homes with godly mom’s helping to raise godly boys and girls. Mom, America salutes you! May Jesus be your hope for today.
Monday, May 7, 2012
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
HOPE FOR TODAY: What it Means to Believe
Jesus, God’s only Son, was miraculously raised from the dead around A.D. 35 and still lives today. One of His disciples was a little skeptical. He was known as Doubting Thomas. Jesus appeared to him saying, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe” (John 10:27). Thomas responded “My Lord and my God!” (John 21:28). How many of us are like Thomas having sincere doubts?
Do you believe in President Abraham Lincoln? You may respond, “Yeah. I’ve read about him and seen pictures. He was a good man and one of our greatest Presidents.” However, what if I say, “Do you believe in Jesus?” The definition of “belief” in regard to Jesus is much different. The biblical synonym is “trust”. A good definition for belief in Jesus would be a “self-surrendering trust in the person of Christ”. One of the major reasons He died and rose again was that we might believe in Him.
Is Jesus calling us to believe (or trust) in Him, simply because He viewed Himself as a good man? He fed the hungry, cared for the sick, reached out to the minorities of his day and taught with unequaled wisdom. Indeed, He was a good man. The greatest that ever lived. However, if Jesus was just a good man that puts Him in the “created being” class (along with angels and humans). If that is true, how can we entrust our eternal soul and the weight of our entire being in His care?
Jesus’ death and resurrection changed everything. The blood that was shed during His torturous death provided for the forgiveness of sin for all mankind. Only one being in the universe has the sole authority and power to forgive sin. God. The Creator of heaven and earth. Jesus was not just a man. He was the one true God in human form. Additionally, only God has ultimate power over the cords of death. When Jesus rose again from the dead to never die again, He proved He was not just a man but was Deity! He was and still is the most Holy, most Righteous and most High God.
Jesus was calling Thomas, along with you and me to a self-surrendering trust in Him as Almighty God. He is worthy of our trust. He has proved it. May Jesus be your hope for today.
Do you believe in President Abraham Lincoln? You may respond, “Yeah. I’ve read about him and seen pictures. He was a good man and one of our greatest Presidents.” However, what if I say, “Do you believe in Jesus?” The definition of “belief” in regard to Jesus is much different. The biblical synonym is “trust”. A good definition for belief in Jesus would be a “self-surrendering trust in the person of Christ”. One of the major reasons He died and rose again was that we might believe in Him.
Is Jesus calling us to believe (or trust) in Him, simply because He viewed Himself as a good man? He fed the hungry, cared for the sick, reached out to the minorities of his day and taught with unequaled wisdom. Indeed, He was a good man. The greatest that ever lived. However, if Jesus was just a good man that puts Him in the “created being” class (along with angels and humans). If that is true, how can we entrust our eternal soul and the weight of our entire being in His care?
Jesus’ death and resurrection changed everything. The blood that was shed during His torturous death provided for the forgiveness of sin for all mankind. Only one being in the universe has the sole authority and power to forgive sin. God. The Creator of heaven and earth. Jesus was not just a man. He was the one true God in human form. Additionally, only God has ultimate power over the cords of death. When Jesus rose again from the dead to never die again, He proved He was not just a man but was Deity! He was and still is the most Holy, most Righteous and most High God.
Jesus was calling Thomas, along with you and me to a self-surrendering trust in Him as Almighty God. He is worthy of our trust. He has proved it. May Jesus be your hope for today.
Monday, March 12, 2012
HOPE FOR TODAY: The Sin of Silence
I was stunned to hear about Whitney Houston’s sudden death in February. As a youth I was a huge fan of her music. What does her death have in common with Elvis Presley and Michael Jackson? They all battled the demons of substance abuse and to some degree, it contributed to their deaths. The crafted legacies by industry historians along with family and friends will give little or no attention to the substance abuse issues in their lives.
In music, film, politics, sports and even religion we want to paint successful figures in their given fields in a positive light for what they contributed. However, it is often not an accurate portrayal of their life. Edited out are their failures. Silenced.
I have been reading the Scriptures since I was a boy. One of the fascinating things I like about them is their honesty. You would think the stories in Scripture of the giants of the Christian faith like Abraham, Moses, King David, Paul and Peter would only feature their successes. God did include their incredible exploits, however, He also included their failures. Really embarrassing ones.
Where is the good news in relationship to our failures? Jesus came into our world to bring us this news. First, it means we admit our failures or sin to our self. We say “Self, I’ve got a problem”. Second, we admit to God, turning our lives towards Him seeking His help. Third, we admit to others who have been hurt by our actions. Fourth, we use our mistakes to help others avoid them. The sin of legendary King David in the Scriptures was written about at great length. He had an adulterous affair that he tried to cover up by killing his mistress’s husband. After a period of time he finally admitted what he did. He sought God’s forgiveness then said, “I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will return to you” (Psalm 51:13). Through our sin and failures we can teach people the consequences of bad behavior and urge them to avoid what we have done. I believe that is why God included the failures of His great workmen.
Let us stop trying to keep up appearances and explain away our actions. In our failure, may we turn to Jesus and let him take our ashes and turn them into something beautiful. May He be our hope for today.
In music, film, politics, sports and even religion we want to paint successful figures in their given fields in a positive light for what they contributed. However, it is often not an accurate portrayal of their life. Edited out are their failures. Silenced.
I have been reading the Scriptures since I was a boy. One of the fascinating things I like about them is their honesty. You would think the stories in Scripture of the giants of the Christian faith like Abraham, Moses, King David, Paul and Peter would only feature their successes. God did include their incredible exploits, however, He also included their failures. Really embarrassing ones.
Where is the good news in relationship to our failures? Jesus came into our world to bring us this news. First, it means we admit our failures or sin to our self. We say “Self, I’ve got a problem”. Second, we admit to God, turning our lives towards Him seeking His help. Third, we admit to others who have been hurt by our actions. Fourth, we use our mistakes to help others avoid them. The sin of legendary King David in the Scriptures was written about at great length. He had an adulterous affair that he tried to cover up by killing his mistress’s husband. After a period of time he finally admitted what he did. He sought God’s forgiveness then said, “I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will return to you” (Psalm 51:13). Through our sin and failures we can teach people the consequences of bad behavior and urge them to avoid what we have done. I believe that is why God included the failures of His great workmen.
Let us stop trying to keep up appearances and explain away our actions. In our failure, may we turn to Jesus and let him take our ashes and turn them into something beautiful. May He be our hope for today.
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