“Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord,
And whose hope is the Lord.
8 For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters,
Which spreads out its roots by the river,
And will not [a]fear when heat comes;
But its leaf will be green,
And will not be anxious in the year of drought,
Nor will cease from yielding fruit. Jeremiah 17:7-8
Today we celebrate President’s Day as we honor the lives of two of our greatest Presidents George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. They had very different lives and served this country and very different times. However, both served and led this nation in times of pivotal wars that brought great change and victory. Washington fought against the enemies from outside, and Lincoln fought against the enemies from within. However both stood strong and brought us to victory because their strength, wisdom and courage was drawn not from humanness but from God.
As an Native Indian chief who fought in the French and Indian War was coming to the end of his life. But he had one wish before he died, he wanted to meet the great warrior who was protected by the Great Spirit, George Washington. When he finally met with him, he recounted when they met on the battlefield. He told Washington he was an expert marksman as well as were those in the group he led, yet none of them could hit him to the point where he told his men to stop wasting their bullets, because he had to be protected by the Great Spirit for there was no other explanation. Washington remembered that encounter and said although they didn’t hit his body, his coat had bullet holes.
During the Civil War Lincoln was asked by a reporter if he knew whose side God was on in the conflict? Lincoln’s answer is so simple but true; “Sir, it doesn’t matter whose side God is on, the answer is am I on God’s side.” The reporter walked away stunned. He thought he could trick the President into taking a side in an already divided nation. But godly wisdom led Lincoln to give an answer that closed that divide by saying no matter what side someone was on, they all had to follow God.
Two great men, who not only knew about God, but knew God through a relationship with His Son Jesus. In that they were led and directed by His Holy Spirit that others saw God working through them. Let’s determine to continue honoring the lives of these great men on a daily basis by letting our lights shine into the darkness from wherever the enemy may and destroy his works whether they be from without or within.
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