Psalm 33:12 “Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance.”
Prior to Washington’s inauguration (Washington’s speech will be the subject of my next four posts), Congress acted to insure that the government would be founded on prayer, strengthened in prayer, and buoyed by prayer. On April 27, 1789, the Senate approved the following resolution:
“Resolved, That after the oath shall have been administered to the President, he – attended by the Vice-President and members of the Senate and House of Representatives – proceed to St. Paul’s Chapel to hear Divine service.”
Two days later, the House approved the same. In obedience to this Joint Resolution, Congressional records documented the following as the first act of the new government after Washington’s inauguration:
“The President, the Vice-President, the Senate, and House of Representatives, then proceeded to St. Paul’s chapel, where Divine Service was performed by the chaplain of Congress.”
With a quorum of US Constitution signatories present, the new government’s first act, as required by Congressional resolution, was to attend a Christian church service that included prayers, scripture readings, and a message from the books of Psalms, I Kings, Acts, and III John. Recognizing that the success of such a new nation would rise or fall based on the Lord Himself, national leaders immediately embraced and demonstrated prayerful humility. They saw that their future hinged not upon themselves, but upon the Lord. They wanted the world to know that their God was the Lord.
Our success as a nation continues to rise or fall based on the Lord Himself. Our future hinges not upon ourselves, but upon the Lord. Yet, we have diverged from embracing and demonstrating prayerful humility. We have failed to resolve that our God is the Lord.
PLEASE PRAY THAT AMERICA WOULD ONCE AGAIN RESOLVE THAT OUR GOD IS THE LORD. Those who authored the Constitution, who formed our first government, and who led our new nation recognized the need to do so. So must we!
