30 DAY CHALLENGE, DAY 1
Psalm 33:12 NIV
Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people He chose for His inheritance.
FACT:
Did you know that in our modern era no other nation in the world has experienced the kind of blessing and longevity America has? Consider this, since our nation’s birth in 1776, America has had the same form of government for 234 years. To put this in perspective, note these comparisons:
Country Forms of Gov’t.
France 15 since 1789
Brazil 7 since 1822
Poland 7 since 1921
Russia 4 since 1918
America 1 since 1776
With all of her shortfalls, America is still a blessed nation. The word "blessed" means empowered to excel. We could read Psalm 33:12 like this: "Empowered to excel is the nation whose God is the Lord." Since its origin, America has truly excelled. In just a short amount of time in comparison to the rest of the world, America has found itself as the country with the best military, a country who birthed many dramatic scientific and industrial advances, freedom from any other reigning power, and is a place where the desire and hope for a better future draws people from the farthest corners of the earth.
Our Founding Fathers knew God had to be the center of our newly established country. It’s really the only explanation we have as to why America has been so blessed. The system of government our founders established was guided by the hand of God. He spread His voice and His laws and commands throughout the very documents that govern the nation. Documents such as the Constitution, Declaration of Independence and Bill of Rights were designed and influenced by the word of God. Scripture verses and prayer surround all of our main landmarks and buildings. Think about it, even all of our currency is inscribed with, "In God We Trust".
The same values that our Founding Fathers had are still applicable to us today and we can choose to apply them to our lives. We can be empowered to excel in our families, our workplace, and in all areas of our lives. How is this possible? When we choose to make God the Lord of every area of our life and the main focus of it, we will excel. As God has blessed America, our lives are blessed as well.
Action steps
- Read - Re-read Psalms 33:12.
- Think - America is a blessed nation. Think about the blessings you have in your life today.
- Write - Journal about the things God has blessed you with in all the different areas of your life. For example, are you a father or mother? Do you have a job? Do you have a place to live? As you write, notice the feelings of hope that flood your heart as you think about the blessings of God.
- Pray - As you pray, begin to thank God for all of your blessings.
- Take away - God's plan is for you to excel in every area of your life. He is with you and wants you to live out that plan with His help. Continue reading to find out more.
“It is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will. To be grateful for His benefits, and to humbly implore His protection and favor.”