Streams of Mercy
Last week, a good friend gave me a copy of The President is Missing, a book filled “with details only a president could know, and the kind of suspense only James Patterson can deliver.” As one troubled by the tone of civil discourse these days and weary of listening to the rancor of partisans on every side of every issue, the last thing I wanted to do was to read a book about it all – even fiction, I thought, would be too close to home for my enjoyment. I’m so grateful to her for encouraging me to read the book. It is a page-turner, hard to put down, and interesting cover to cover!
Toward the very end of the book is a memorable passage to hold in our hearts as we celebrate Fourth of July 2018:
“What does it mean to be an American today? It’s a question that will answer itself if we get back to what’s brought us this far: widening the circle of opportunity, deepening the meaning of freedom, and strengthening bonds of community. Shrinking the definition of “them” and expanding the definition of “us.” Leaving no one behind, left out, looked down on. We must get back to that mission. And do it with both energy and humility, knowing that our time is fleeting and our power is not an end in itself, but a means to achieve more noble and necessary ends. The American dream works when our common humanity matters more than our interesting differences, and when together they create endless possibilities. That’s an America worthy fighting – even dying for. And, more important, it’s an America worth living and working for.” (The President is Missing, by Bill Clinton and James Patterson, p. 505)
Today’s organ prelude at Jackson Springs Presbyterian Church was “God Bless America,” and the congregation was invited to join in on the reprise. Pride for our beloved nation was palpable in that moment. In a part of the service designated for Fourth of July observance, we read from the Declaration of Independence, “We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
May these words of the morning prayer be the words of our hearts this Independence Day: “Because you are a freedom-loving God, lead us to exercise our freedom responsibly and to pursue ‘liberty and justice for all’ people, without discrimination. Synchronize our motives and our lifestyle with the One who came to make us free, indeed. Amen.”
In the book, the President addresses Congress once the crisis has passed: “Our founders left us an eternal charge: to form a more perfect union. And they left us a government sturdy enough to preserve our liberties and flexible enough to meet the challenges of each new age. Those two gifts have brought us a mighty long way. We must stop taking them for granted, even putting them at risk for fleeting advantage …Thank God we still face a future full of possibilities … May God bless the United States of America and all who call it home. ( p. 508-509, The President is Missing)
Giving thanks for a good book recommended by a good friend, for America, my home sweet home, and for streams of mercy, never ceasing.
Elizabeth