Red, white and you
Happy Fourth of July! Or here in this space, let me say, “Happy red, white and you!”
Yes, you. Let’s start this conversation with a quote from founding father and first President George Washington. Mr. Mount Vernon once said, “While we are zealously performing the duties of good citizens and soldiers, we certainly ought not to be inattentive to the higher duties of religion. To the distinguished character of Patriot, it should be our highest glory to add the more distinguished character of Christian.”
In the spirit of the higher duties of religion, is being a Christian revolutionary these days? Some of us would say no. On this ground, I will ask another question. Should being a Christian be revolutionary these days? I hope enough of us say yes.
Washington calls us to not just a higher thinking, but a higher order. A distinguished character of Patriotism, he is not vague. He is also not talking to his first audience only, ladies and gentlemen of an era long gone. We would be mistaken and shortsighted if we thought our nation’s first leader was addressing only colleagues within earshot. He’s talking to us. Specifically, he’s talking to you.
Religion is our highest order. If we long for days of yore or the better America that was and some argue now isn’t, then Washington offers sure and solid advice. Get to church. Align not just with the teaching and the ideals of Christianity. Align with and become a part of a Christian community.
“Whoa, wait,” someone is saying. “America isn’t a Christian nation.” I’m not going to go there except to say the point is well made, well taken, and should not be forgotten. America is not a Christian nation.
Speaking about this nation, however, another point to be made is that of the 56 patriots who signed the Declaration of Independence, nearly half (24) held seminary or Bible school degrees.
Some today may claim that instead of being Christians, the Founders were deists. (Deists believe in the existence of a creator God, but do not believe He intervenes in human affairs.) Contrary to a belief in an indifferent Creator, most of our Founders were Theists. (Theists believe in the existence of a god or gods, specifically of a creator who intervenes in the universe.)
In fact, an influential number of our declaration signers were theists. These Founders held the position that God intervenes in the affairs of humankind. In addition to Washington, the writings of Alexander Hamilton, Benjamin Franklin, and John Adams demonstrate not only an interactive God but also a need for (and a welcome of) a connection and conversations with God which is a prayer life. A prayer life is both corporate and personal. In church, for example, Christians can collectively, communally and individually pray for worldly and national needs as well as personal needs or requests.
A specific example of this is the recent loss of the five-member crew of the Titan. Of course, Christians can pray for the families of the crew of the Titan independently. However, the power of corporate prayer, and I define this type of prayer as public and community-based, is deeply powerful.
In church, there are also prayers raised for those we don’t know, or don’t know well. Mrs. So-and-so’s broken arm, Mr. So-and-so’s recent diagnosis. At home later, will Christians honestly continue to pray for Mrs. So-and-so? Mr. So-and-so? Maybe. Maybe not. Will the prayerful ever THINK of Mrs. or Mr. So-and-so again? Maybe. Maybe not.
However, when a prayer is shared among many, the outcome of the situation may not notably change, but those gathered in prayer do change. How? They/we immeasurably unite. Even if this unity lasts only for sacred moments, this connection is beautiful, meaningful, and impactful.
We Americans can wear rose-colored glasses and reminisce over a brand-new nation with no issues, contradictions, struggles or injustices. We can also say our nation today just needs religion or a revival of religion. But that’s too simple. It’s too general.
As General and then President Washington would argue, we good citizens and soldiers of the cross of Jesus Christ ought to be attentive to and contributing members of the higher duties of religion by being revolutionary these days. Care and prayer are not someone else’s responsibility. Care and prayer are our responsibility.
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