There Must Be Humility

Because of the horrible effects of war on this nation, President Abraham Lincoln called for a national day of fasting March 30, 1863. The following are portions of the proclamation.

“Whereas it is the duty of nations as well as of men to own their independence upon the overruling power of God, to confess their sins and transgressions in humble sorrow yet with assured hope that genuine repentance will lead to mercy and pardon and to recognize the sublime truth announced in the Holy scriptures and proven by all history that those nations only are blessed whose God is the Lord.” 

We can see here that President Lincoln was not just speechwriting, but being lead by God’s unseen hand. He goes on to say,

“We have forgotten the gracious hand that has preserved us in peace and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us, and we have vainly imagined in the deceitfulness of our hearts that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own. Intoxicated with unbroken success, we have become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, too proud to pray to the God that made us.”

 President Lincoln knew in his soul what the nation needed and he finishes with these words.

“It behooves us then to humble ourselves before the offended power to confess the national sins and to pray for clemency and forgiveness.”

If only our leaders of today would do the same thing. Sometimes we need to be reminded of God’s promises. “When my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray, I will heal their land.”