Grateful Nation
Dr. Mark P. Gonzales
Executive Director,
Royal Palm Association of Churches, SBC
I don’t have to tell you how messy, angry, and bombastic our elections have become—on both sides of the aisle if we really want to be honest with ourselves. And the culture wars are equally messy, angry, and bombastic as well, aren’t they? So with my academic training in political science and practical theology, I don’t mind telling you how sometimes my head and heart start spiking with all kinds of thoughts and emotions when I get splattered with all the rabid rhetoric from way too many media platforms. How about you? Hey, why don’t we move to Costa Rica, New Zealand, or the Swiss Alps? Arrrrg!
But then I start hearing whispers from above, reminding me of the enormous cost that has been paid by so many in the founding, development and protection of our nation, and I start feeling grateful again.
Pilgrims died to settle our land.
Patriots died to found our nation.
Soldiers died to preserve our freedom.
Jesus died to save our souls.
May I invite you to chew on that for a while?
And to help you out a bit, here’s the climatic end to Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address:
“We here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain—that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government of the people, by the people, for the people shall not perish from the earth.”
And he would later write: “But we have forgotten God. We have forgotten the gracious hand which 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.”
Wow. Hard to hear, be we need to hear. Abraham Lincoln was challenging us to look up, waaay up to find our peace by becoming grateful for God, for what we do have, and for the millions of people before us who paid the ultimate price to form and protect this marvelous nation of ours. But I’m not talking about some kind of pious pie in the sky, my friends. Gratefulness is something far deeper.
Is our country perfect? Of course not. Do we have problems—serious problems? Of course we do. Are there quick and simple solutions? Almost never. And why is it this way? You already know the answer. Because each of us is not perfect and each of us have, and will continue to have, very serious problems while we still live on this earth. But that’s okay, my friends. That’s just life. Real life. So we just have to make the best choices as each day unfolds.
Option 1: Focus, blame, accuse, spew, and get bitter for the inevitable pain, unfairness, anger and sin done against us. Or. . .
Option 2: Forgive, love, protect, pray, and become grateful in the midst of the litany of heartaches we face throughout our lives. Treat each person as equals, made in the image of God, and worthy of our love, respect, and best wishes, especially on their worst days.
The Declaration of Independence puts it this way: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”
And one last thought to keep in mind to really understand the quotes above. . .
Liberty and Freedom are not permission to do whatever we want— they are the opportunity to do whatever we ought.
The first leads to a narcisisstic population.
The second leads to a grateful nation.
In short, solutions begin in our hearts.
Grateful in the Lord for you,
Pastor Mark
Articles, videos & podcasts: markpg.org. Write & share at [email protected]. Hear me every Sat., 8 a.m. on 91.5 FM
