In God We Trust

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not unto thine own understanding (Proverbs 3:5).

Around July 4th, we often look at how this country began. History classes have taught most of us that this country was founded, at least in part, by those seeking a place of freedom to express their faith in God. With a little research, I can cite example after example of our founding fathers giving God the praise and glory.

The phrase "In God we trust" first appeared on our coins in 1864, toward the end of the Civil War. The tragedies of Americans fighting and killing Americans made people realize they needed God more than ever. The words were added to the paper money in 1955 and was signed into law by President Eisenhower, who still remembered the horrors of World War II. 

In 1814, during another war, Francis Scott Key penned a similar phrase, as he wrote "The Star-Spangled Banner," which would become our national anthem. In the last stanza, we sing, "And this be our motto: 'In God is our trust.'"

Does America still trust in God? Or have we turned from our Creator and Sustainer? In all the great fallen civilizations, their decline came with moral decay. Is that where the United States is headed? Christians are at fault for not being the witnesses and disciples we were commanded to be. We became complacent, thought everything was just fine, and didn't heed God's call. We didn't pass our faith on to future generations the way the Bible tells us. Many thought just taking their children to church was enough. Shallow faith leads to little faith, which eventually becomes no faith.

It's time for Christians to stand boldly, but in love, for what is right with Christ guiding us. If our nation keeps going down the path it seems to be headed, there will soon come a time when you will have to decide whether to profess your faith and suffer the immediate consequences or keep quiet and suffer the eternal ones. In that day, there will be no lukewarm Christians. 

Yesterday we celebrated our Independence Day. We appreciate our freedom, and the freedom to worship is an important one. Faith (or lack of it) cannot be legislated; it is a matter of the heart. Let's begin to fervently pray that America's heart will turn back to God. Then and only then will we be able to maintain our greatness in the world and the blessings we've been enjoying.

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