“Rise up and help us; redeem us because of your unfailing love.”
Psalm 44:26
Grace calls every nation to repent. We read John Newton’s thoughts on this:
“I hope [God’s people] … are praying for our sinful land in this dark day. … I meddle not with [party disputes], nor concern myself with any political maxims, but such as are laid down in Scripture. There I read that righteousness exalts a nation and that sin is the reproach and, if persisted in, the ruin of any people.
“Some people are startled at the enormous sum of our national debt. Those who understand spiritual arithmetic may be well startled if they sit down and compute the debt of national sin. … [God hears] the cry of blood, the blood of thousands, perhaps millions, from the East Indies. … If I heard that professors …, instead of wasting their breath in censuring men and measures, were plying the Throne of Grace, I would still hope for a respite.
“There is one political maxim which comforts me: ‘The Lord reigns.’ His hand guides the storm. … He will take care of His own cause. … Men have one thing in view. He has another, and His counsel shall stand.”
“I hope [God’s people] … are praying for our sinful land in this dark day. … I meddle not with [party disputes], nor concern myself with any political maxims, but such as are laid down in Scripture. There I read that righteousness exalts a nation and that sin is the reproach and, if persisted in, the ruin of any people.
“Some people are startled at the enormous sum of our national debt. Those who understand spiritual arithmetic may be well startled if they sit down and compute the debt of national sin. … [God hears] the cry of blood, the blood of thousands, perhaps millions, from the East Indies. … If I heard that professors …, instead of wasting their breath in censuring men and measures, were plying the Throne of Grace, I would still hope for a respite.
“There is one political maxim which comforts me: ‘The Lord reigns.’ His hand guides the storm. … He will take care of His own cause. … Men have one thing in view. He has another, and His counsel shall stand.”
Scripture Focus
Isaiah 1:1-9
Insight
“If the God whom we provoke,/ Hither should His way direct;/ What a sin-avenging stroke/ May a land like this expect!” (John Newton, 1778)
Bible In A Year
- Isaiah 33-34
- Psalm 87
- Acts 9
