The other day at the Inauguration of the George W. Bush, the 43^rd President of the United States, my heart, eyes, and ears were filled with hope for this next century in American history.

My heart

My heart was filled with hope because I heard so many great themes pointing to God.   The words, prayers, and songs all seemed intent on giving God control of this country.

Repentance theme

“Blessed are you, O Lord, our God. Yours, O God, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, O Lord, is the kingdom. You're exalted as head over all. Wealth and honor come from you. You are the ruler of all things. In your hands are strength and power to exalt and to give strength to all. As President Lincoln once said, "We have been the recipients of the choicest bounties of heaven. We have been preserved these many years in peace and prosperity. We have grown in numbers, wealth and power as no other nation has ever grown. But we have forgotten God. It behooves us then to humble ourselves before the offended powers, to confess our national sins and to pray for clemency and forgiveness.''   (Franklin Graham)

Dependency theme

The Bible is still the great symbol of presidential commitment.   In order to complete the official pledge, the hand of the President elect must be placed on the Bible.   George Bush put his hand on the exact same Bible that George Washington did when he committed his presidency to God.

Reward theme

After Franklin Graham finished his prayer, one of America’s most inspirational and symbolic songs, “American the Beautiful,” was performed.  The lyrics were appropriate because the wonderful things that make our nation good today were given to us by God.   Spacious skies, majestic mountains, waves of grain fields, and fruited plains were God’s rewards to America.   These rewards were given to us from the beginning because our forefathers put this nation into His hands.    Great men and women like George Washington, Abigail Adams, and Abraham Lincoln dedicated their lives to making this one nation under God.  The song reached its pinnacle during the ceremony when the last verse was sung:  “America, America, God shed His grace on thee, and crown thy good with brotherhood, from sea to shining sea.”

My eyes

My eyes were strengthened and able to see a hope again for American children when Reverend Kirby Caldwell gave his last challenge in the benediction.   He prayed with confidence that this nation’s leadership would now pursue a path that put principles of morality (Matthew 6:33) over the lust for popularity (Mark 8: 36-38) and the practice of immorality (Sex, lying, deceit).

My ears

My ears perked up when I heard the praise, “God bless America.”    George W. Bush ended his inaugural speech with these often  repeated words.  Perhaps they were just words, but I don’t believe that about George W. Bush.  I have noticed over these past few months of campaigning he ended every speech with “ God bless America.”     I believe he does it for a very good reason.   I think for George W. Bush it is a reminder that he must stay on God’s path while leading this country, and if he does, God will bless America.

Teachable Moments

In your teachable moment, give each of your children a quarter.   Ask them to identify the American president on the face of the coin.   If they guess correctly, the answer is George Washington.   Tell them he was our first president, and that he was a Godly man.   Ask them to locate any key phrase on this coin.   When they find the phrase, “In God we trust,” tell them it was men like Washington and others who recognized early that America could only be blessed if we as a nation trusted Him.    Encourage them to say God bless America every time they handle a quarter.   In a way it is a prayer that if we as a nation follow God’s lead, He will bless us.   

Word of God

Matthew 6: 33  “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

Mark 8: 36-38  “For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his