Happy Presidents Day!

February 22nd and February 12th are the two special days that come together to give us this day.  Washington and Lincoln.  These two Christian Presidents did so much for our country that it has been years that their birthdays were celebrated as two separate holidays.  Today we have lumped them together, and perhaps in most instances we don’t even stop to recognize their efforts in our country.

President Washington was obviously extremely important in getting this country off the ground, helping to separate from England and establishing a government that would lead us into the world power that we had become.  Sadly I think he would feel scorned if he saw what was happening in our government today.  But the man was an incredible positive world shaper, a world changer.

Washington did many great things, but I appreciation that he was dissatisfied with the Articles Of Confederation for their relative weakness, and presided over the drafting of our Constitution.  This effort was not singularly obviously, and one of his greatest achievements was in aiding to bring together such a talented group of individuals to draft the Constitution.  He was a leader through and through, and his ability to lead such talented men is evidence of it.

Lincoln too was a world changer, and perhaps the most outspoken Christian of our American Presidents.  He let his faith in God guide his actions and he relied on it publicly many times.  It was wondered if he took much of the Old Testament as literal truth, as he has said things that would suggest otherwise, but he was a devout follower of Christ.

“In regard to this Great book, I have but to say, it is the best gift God has given to man. All the good the Savior gave to the world was communicated through this book. But for it we could not know right from wrong. All things most desirable for man’s welfare, here and hereafter, are to be found portrayed in it.” – Abraham Lincoln

I appreciate the story that surrounds Lincoln and this picture of him reading the “Bible”.  He was actually looking at a photograph album, but was concerned that people would believe it was meant to be a Bible.  This concern came because he did not want to be portrayed as reading a Bible, “just for a photograph”, as it would look like it was him using the Bible for publicity.  Pretty honest and high integrity!

So today, consider what these two men have done for you, and celebrate the day!  God Bless – Dr. E