What Would Lincoln Do? (WWLD)

By Rev. Tim Ginter

Today, February 12th is the birthday of Abraham Lincoln.

Born near Hodgenville, Ky. on February 12, 1809, Lincoln was the central figure of the Civil War, and is regarded by many historians and laymen as not only the foremost of our presidents but also the greatest American of all time. With scant formal education, from a poor family, this frontier lawyer held the nation together through the worst crisis in its history. A leader of weaker will or fainter vision might well have failed either to win the Civil War or end the institution of slavery. With good reason, he is viewed as the savior of the American union and the “Great Emancipator.”

President Lincoln was a leader who utilized his resources to maximum advantage. Whether it be political leverage, industrial might, or military strength, he left no stone unturned in his effort to save these “United States” of America.

But Lincoln did not limit the marshaling of forces or his evaluation of his nation’s situation to the natural realm alone. No, he recognized the truth of Benjamin Franklin’s words to the First Constitutional Convention many years prior:

“I have lived  sir, a long time and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth-that God governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without his notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without His aid? We have been assured in the Sacred Writings that ‘except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it.’”

Therefore in the height of the civil conflict, when it seemed as if the forces that sought to tear the Union apart might succeed, Lincoln…the president of the United States of America… issued this proclamation:

“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. 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. Intoxicated with unbroken success, we have become too self- sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, too proud to pray to the God that made us! It behooves us, then to humble ourselves before the offended Power, to confess our national sins and to pray for clemency and forgiveness.”

Today, we are also engaged in a war for the future of America.  A war of philosophies.  A war of opposing ideas that have reached such proportions that a small spark might ignite physical violence. This war reaches into every segment of our society.  Every person has, or will be, affected by it.

I believe that if we continue on the same course our government is currently pursuing, we will witness the death of our nation. Because of this, it is imperative we replace every politician on every level who is in agreement with this administration’s government philosophy.

But even if we succeed in doing this, and we witness a monumental shift toward conservative governing based upon Constitutional principles, we will not succeed in saving America, because political activism alone will not heal our land.

Why?

Lincoln could answer this question.

He recognized that all earthly resources combined could not restore peace or procure prosperity for any nation if Almighty God was offended with the sins of the people and had withdrawn His hand of favor.

So WWLD?

He would re-issue a proclamation for us to fast and humble ourselves, repent of our sins and seek God’s forgiveness.

Friend, are you willing to bend your knees and heart and seek God for yourself and for your nation? Are you willing to persist in prayer until God graciously answers and restores His favor upon America again?

I am committed to.

I think Abe would too.

“I have been driven many times upon my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go. My own wisdom and that all about me seemed insufficient for that day.” A. Lincoln

May God Bless America!