We have just had our first snowstorm here in northern Illinois, and it wasn't even November yet! Growing up in central Florida, I never saw snow until I was an adult. Since 1995, I have lived in the "cold barrens" of the North. I have seen white Thanksgivings, white Christmases, white Easters, and now, a white Halloween. When I gave my life to the Lord in my late teens, little did I know where He would lead. I never thought I would live on the opposite end of the "snowbird" traffic.
One of the blessings of living in the North is seeing the changes of the seasons. My wife, Judy, and I like to drive into Wisconsin and see the beauty of Creation as the leaves change color. Truly, God's "handiwork" (Psalm 19:1) is amazing.
November is a great month of the year. We remember our veterans who put their lives on the line for our freedom. We also remember the blessings of God upon our country. As a student of history, I marvel at the miracle of our founding, the great spiritual movements that shaped us as a nation, and the tremendous victories when defeat seemed to be certain. Truly God has shed His grace upon us.
Our anthems are replete with acknowledgment of God's blessings. "The Star-Spangled Banner" (second verse), "My Country 'Tis of Thee," "America the Beautiful," and "God Bless America" have kept the blessings of God in our consciousness.
Unfortunately, in recent years, God has been rejected and removed from our social fabric. Consequently, we are becoming an angry and unhappy people.
The apostle Paul tells us that people who reject their Creator become unthankful and foolish (Romans 1:21–22). Truly, we have become "vain in our imaginations."
This month is a time for Americans to remember that they have been "endowed by their Creator" with the blessings of liberty. These "rights" have been given to us by God and not by government. A government of the people and for the people is only as good as its people. As we praise God for His goodness, let us pray for those who don't know Him and the blessings He bestows on those who love Him.
"Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people He has chosen for His own inheritance."
Psalm 33:12
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