An American Warrior's Faith: George Washington

George Washington is one of the most beloved Presidents in American History.  He is beloved as our first President, as well as beloved for his refusal to be king and uphold the principles of American Democracy.   He is beloved because he put God and country above his own self-interest. Beloved as a great leader.

I admire our first president because he was not only a devout Christian but a devout man of prayer.  He kept a daily journal, and in the journal, we can read the prayers interspersed through the record of his daily life.  These prayers reveal a deep love for Christ and the Gospel, a deep humility that sought true repentance and dependence on God, as well as a trust in God’s Word to direct our nation to the true way of salvation.

As we consider this Sunday, a Warrior’s faith in the life of David, may this personal prayer of our first president inspire us to pray to God for our own repentance, as well as our nation, that we may turn and follow Jesus in the freedom He won for us.

O most Glorious God, in Jesus Christ my merciful and loving Father, I acknowledge and confess my guilt, in the weak and imperfect performance of the duties of this day. I have called on Thee for pardon and forgiveness of sins, but so coldly and carelessly, that my prayers are become my sin and stand in need of pardon. I have heard Thy holy word, but with such deadness of spirit that I have been an unprofitable and forgetful hearer, so that, O Lord, tho’ I have done Thy work, yet it hath been so negligently that I may rather expect a curse than a blessing from Thee.

But, O God, who art rich in mercy and plenteous in redemption, mark not, I beseech Thee, what I have done amiss; remember that I am but dust, and remit my transgressions, negligences and ignorances, and cover them all with the absolute obedience of Thy dear Son, that those sacrifices which I have offered may be accepted by Thee, in and for the sacrifice of Jesus Christ offered upon the cross for me; for His sake, ease me of the burden of my sins, and give me grace that by the call of the Gospel I may rise from the slumber of sin into the newness of life.

Let me live according to those holy rules which Thou hast this day prescribed in Thy Holy Word; make me to know what is acceptable in thy Holy Word; make me to know what is acceptable in Thy sight, and therein to delight, open the eyes of my understanding, and help me thoroughly to examine myself concerning my knowledge, faith and repentance, increase my faith, and direct me to the true object Jesus Christ the Way, the Truth and the Life.

Bless O Lord, all the people of this land, from the highest to the lowest, particularly those whom Thou has appointed to rule over us in church and state. Continue Thy goodness to me this night. These weak petitions I humbly implore Thee to hear and to accept for the sake of Thy Dear Son Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.

With grateful hearts, on this Memorial Day, we remember those who gave their lives for the freedoms we enjoy in our nation!  May we cherish our liberties by taking up our duty to learn, to live by, to guard, and to protect our great inheritance so we may pass these riches on to our children’s children.  May we remember that we are only truly free to enjoy our liberty through the freedom for which Christ set us free; and let us not submit again to the yoke of slavery.  (Galatians 5:1)