I Peter 5:6-7 “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.”
President Washington closed his first inaugural address with the following:
“Having thus imported to you my sentiments, as they have been awakened by the occasion which brings us together, I shall take my present leave; but not without resorting once more to the benign parent of the human race, in humble supplication that since he has been pleased to favour the American people, with opportunities for deliberating in perfect tranquility, and dispositions for deciding with unparalleled unanimity on a form of Government, for the security of their Union, and the advancement of their happiness; so his divine blessing may be equally conspicuous in the enlarged views, the temperate consultations, and the wise measures on which the success of this Government must depend.”
Washington’s final remarks in the nation’s first presidential inauguration were ones of humble supplication. He expressed appreciation to God for past blessings. He indicated dependence on God for future blessings. He accepted that their level of faithfulness to God would make the difference between future success and failure. Conspicuous divine blessings were the result of humble reliance upon Him.
Today, we lack a national spirit that yields humble supplication. Yet, in our age we should be no less appreciative to God for past blessings and no less dependent on God for future blessings. Our level of faithfulness to God will still make the difference between future success and failure. If we continue down our current path, then conspicuous divine blessings will be absent from our future.
PLEASE PRAY FOR A NATIONAL-LEVEL SPIRIT OF HUMBLE SUPPLICATION. For Washington, humble supplication was the right way to begin and end his first speech as the first president of the United States. Conspicuous divine blessings are the outcome to which we should aspire by following his model.
