Happy Presidents’ Day!

Hopefully you do know that today, the third Monday in February, is “Presidents’ Day.” It celebrates the birthdays of two of the greatest Presidents: George Washington (born Feb. 22, 1732), and Abraham Lincoln (born Feb. 12, 1809).

Although our current Presidents’ Day aims to honor only Washington and Lincoln (as it should), it just so happens that two other Presidents were also born in this month: William Henry Harrison (Feb. 9, 1773), and, the great Ronald W. Reagan (Feb. 6, 1911). My birthday is also in February, on the 29th (yes, I was born in a leap year, 1960). The current President, Barack H. Obama, is actually younger than I am, born on August 4, 1961. Hmm….

OTHER PRESIDENTIAL BIRTHDAYS? October has the the most presidential birthdays (six, including three of my favorites, John Adams, Rutherford B. Hayes, & Theodore Roosevelt); and, the second most popular month for presidential birthdays is November with five. There is a tie between June and September for having the least presidential birthdays (each has one).

Let us pause and give thanks to God for our good and godly leaders. And, let us pray for our current President, as we are exhorted to do in the New Testament —

First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, 2 for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. 3 This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time. 7 For this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying), a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.
–1 Timothy 2

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Praise to my Lord & Savior of 30 years!

Today I have been incredibly humbled as I consider my Christian conversion 30 years ago this July 11th. I was 18 and just out of high school when I was, by grace, born again by the Spirit of God. Perhaps I will post a short testimony in the days ahead.

But now, on this day, I pause in awe of this great God of wonders, who pardons the sins of men, and draws us in to feast on fellowship with Him! Praise the Lord with me — with this great hymn of wonder and praise!

How sweet and awesome is this place
With Christ within the doors,
While everlasting love displays
The choicest of her stores!

Here every bowel of our God
With soft compassion rolls;
Here peace and pardon bought with blood
Is food for dying souls.

While all our hearts and all our songs
Join to admire the feast,
Each of us cry, with thankful tongues,
“Lord, why was I a guest?

“Why was I made to hear Thy voice,
And enter while there’s room,
When thousands make a wretched choice,
And rather starve than come?”

’Twas the same love that spread the feast
That sweetly drew us in;
Else we had still refused to taste,
And perished in our sin.

Pity the nations, O our God!
Constrain the earth to come;
Send Thy victorious Word abroad,
And bring the strangers home.

We long to see Thy churches full,
That all the chosen race
May with one voice, and heart and soul,
Sing Thy redeeming grace.

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