Watching the Fourth of July fireworks from the back porch began as a backyard, seriously downsized version of the one we usually go see in the “big city.”
So nine year-old Grant dives into the big box of fireworks and starts organizing his own show for our viewing pleasure. They were great. Better yet, they were safe.
All of a sudden, across The Hudson River, we began to see other towns’ fireworks displays. At first, it was one village. Then, it was two. Before long, three…then four, then five, then six. We actually think their were more than a half dozen. We sat and watched the inadvertent show of a lifetime as if the timing from one town to another was synchronized!
As it got darker, I noticed a single star overhead. As beautiful as were all of the wondrous manmade displays, they couldn’t hold a candle to even that one star. Later, as the evening matured, the stars burst out in all of their glory as if to say, “Look up if you really want to see a show.”
Without an ounce of minimization of “the great experiment” known as “America” on her birthday, no form of democracy or republic or mix of the two will ever hold a candle to the government that is to rest squarely on the shoulders that carried the cross - the only way to a benevolent governance for all.
PORTAL TO HEAVEN: Literal portals like the sky bursting forth with light from either man or God get us to look up - a habit we should attain if we are to avoid the disappointment of expecting perfection from manmade systems and organizations.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction…The heavens are telling of the glory of God; And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands…[King] Hezekiah trusted in the LORD, the God of Israel. There was no one like him among all the kings of Judah, either before him or after him…For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Proverbs 1:7 NIV, Psalm 19:1 NASB, 2 Kings 18:5 NIV, Isaiah 9:6 NLT