Happy Birthday USA

We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America. So begins the Preamble to the United States Constitution.
The Constitution is probably the most powerful document in the United States. It is what established the United States as a nation. It is what governs the nation. In essence, it is what establishes the day the United States became a nation. That day was September 17, 1787.
I do admit that September 17 is an important day to me, as well as those who have a birthday or anniversary today. It was on this day that my parents gave birth to a son. For that simple act, I am grateful for my parents.
Prior to entering the ministry, I wanted to be a history teacher. I love history. When I would pastor a church, the first thing I would do is take the history book of the church and sit and read it. This brings me to the Constitution.
Within the last 40 years, the Constitution has come under fire, specifically, the separation of church and state issue. Many contend that the United States was never a Christian nation. Some would say that the United States was founded only on Christian principles but not on Christ. Others would say the nation was founded by deists with no particular religious beliefs. Still others say that the nation was completely secular and free from any Christian thought.
One thing that the study of history has taught me is that to understand the meaning of something, we must look at the original intent of the author. Who would know more about the Constitution that the one that helped inspire it? John Jay served as the first Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. His court set the bulk of precedents in the nation. His court helped frame the meaning of the Constitution. John Jay states, “Providence has given to our people the choice of their rulers, and it is the duty, as well as the privilege and interest, of our Christian nation to select and prefer Christians for their rulers.”
Who would know more about the Constitution than the one who helped frame it? Patrick Henry stated, “It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great nation was founded, not by religionists, but by Christians; not on religions, but on the gospel of Jesus Christ. For this reason peoples of other faiths have been afforded asylum, prosperity, and freedom of worship here.”
Who would know more about the Constitution than the one who wrote it? James Madison is considered the Father of the Constitution because he wrote the majority of it. “We have staked the whole future of American civilization, not upon the power of government, far from it. We have staked the future of all our political institutions upon the capacity of each and all of us to govern ourselves, to control ourselves, to sustain ourselves according to the Ten Commandments of God.”
There is a lot more. When the Capitol moved from Philadelphia to Washington DC, Thomas Jefferson established and attended church services in the Legislative building. The Supreme Court and the Executive building also had church services that were established by Jefferson.
Martha Washington’s granddaughter, Nelly Custis stated about her step grandfather George, “Is it necessary that any one should certify, "General Washington avowed himself to me a believer in Christianity?" As well may we question his patriotism, his heroic, disinterested devotion to his country. His mottos were, "Deeds, not Words"; and, "For God and my Country."
We have reached a point in our history of this nation that we need to figure out the direction we want to go. As for me, I look to the words of the Bible with great hope, “and my people, my God-defined people, respond by humbling themselves, praying, seeking my presence, and turning their backs on their wicked lives, I'll be there ready for you: I'll listen from heaven, forgive their sins, and restore their land to health.” (2 Chronicles 7:14 The Message)

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