I recently watched the mini series entitled "John Adams". It chronicles the birth of our nation through the life of our second president. I read the book as well. Each time I take a closer look at our history as a nation I am amazed. The idea of a new nation founded on freedom and justice for all is absolutely astounding. Our nation was birthed against all odds. When I was watching the mini-series, every once in a while something would pass in front of the screen that seemed completely out of place. It was the sight of a black slave. Right there in the midst of a nation founded on the purest ideals a blind eye was turned toward a whole race. There is a scene where John and Abigail Adams ride up to the White House. It is under construction but the vast majority of the labor force are slaves. John and Abigail look terribly uncomfortable but also look fairly helpless. It took another fourteen presidents before Abraham Lincoln led our country into a civil war to begin the process of making the ideals of our country available to all. This past Saturday I watched the most famous speech of Dr.Martin Luther King. It is called the "I Have a Dream" speech. The speech was a call for the nation to look again at what the founding fathers had written. He called on America to make good on the promise of the rights of all men to be free. Today I watched as our 44th president was sworn into office. He is Barack Obama and he is of African descent. He and his family will move into the White House that was built in large part by African slaves. It has been a long time in coming but maybe now America can say with conviction that the freedom that John Adams and his countrymen held so precious has now come to all. I think today is a day that along with John Adams, Abraham Lincoln, and Dr.Martin Luther King, all of us should smile that the dream is truer today than it ever has been.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
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I did not vote for Barack Obama, nor do I agree with some pretty fundamental principles that he and his party hold.
But today I was impressed with him. For one moment the hope and change that he talked about seemed inviting and I want to see if he has what it takes to achieve all of his promises. I will be the first guy in line to admit that I was wrong about him if he can do it.
Thank you for your heart felt words, Pastor Joe. My 92 year old father served in a segregated unit in the army in World War II. He remembers that time well, even after all these years. Yet today, January 20th, 2009 my dad said, "A black Commander in Chief! I still can't believe it." He cried the night of the election.
Please pray for out country and our new president. Pray that our leaders and our people realize that God owes us NOTHING but we owe Him our love and obedience. We cannot reject His laws and standards then expect Him to bless us. And all of us need to remember that God does not stand when ANY nation's national Anthem is played. His Kingdom is not of this earth and we His people need to live as if we are His.
Truth and history...... The slaves referred to those who (and I put this is DEEP quotes) "owned them" as master but THE truth our African American brothers and sisters in the Lord were referring to their true Master the Almighty God when responding and being obedient as set down in God's word Eph. 6.5, Col. 3:22, Titus 2.9. It was a country and her people that did not and still are not obedient to God and God's word that until now we did not have an African American president. We should pray as with all presidents that the weight of the office of President of the United States of America so bring him to a DEEP true relationship with God through his son Jesus Christ no compromise that the Master remains the TRUE and only Master throughout his presidency and his every decision he pens for this nation. God's people must be looking up and remain alert and pray for much wisdom and discernment and one has to know God's word and God's will to do this. Open them Bibles people for there in lies the truth.
I attended the inauguration, and while I did not support him, it was surreal being in the midst of such a teeming mass of humanity (~2 million strong). I can only imagine what heaven will be like, billions of people worshipping a God who surpasses all our expections.
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