The Blessed Nation, Pt. 1

One of the blessings of traveling the world, sharing the good news of
Jesus with others is realizing afresh just how blessed I am to live in the USA.

The Blessed Nation, Pt. 1

"Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD,
the people He has chosen as His own inheritance."

(Psalm 33:12)

Happy Independence Day! I hope you are having a nice extended weekend. This is a favorite holiday for many in our nation. It is a time to take a break during the hot days of summer, enjoy family and friends, eat some good ol' American cuisine, and to reflect upon how truly blessed our nation is.

One of the blessings of traveling the world, sharing the good news of Jesus with others is realizing afresh just how truly blessed I am to live in the USA. I think many of the problems in our society would disappear if everyone had an opportunity to travel to some of the places that I have witnessed firsthand. I have seen poverty at its worst in parts of Asia. I know there are places of poverty in our nation, but overall, we are a most affluent nation with tons of natural resources and plenty of opportunities.

While our focal text for this week is Psalm 33:12, we will walk through Psalm 33 as a whole this week in our devotions. I hope you are blessed and instructed by the Word of God.

Israel has been and continues to be a blessed nation, as God is true to His Word. God in His sovereign election chose Abram from Ur of the Chaldeans to bless him. Why? Genesis 12:3 tells us, "I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed."

While the USA is not Israel, we too have been chosen and blessed by God. Our nation has been highly favored, and no one can argue against our standing among the nations of this world. I believe we are so blessed because God chose to bless us to be a light and a help to others. I am not trying to be overly political or say that we are to fight in every war or assist everyone with every need they have, however, I am emphasizing what Jesus said in Luke 12:48 about those who have received much: "For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more."

Who was it that blessed Israel, and who has blessed the USA? The Psalmist is very clear as to who: the one true God. He is not one of the many deities of Israel's surrounding nations. He is God who is the LORD. Yahweh is the self-existent God who was, is, and will forever be, the eternal God. He is the creator and sustainer of the universe, and He alone is worthy of worship. We see glimpses of His Trinitarian nature in the Old Testament, but in the New Testament, we see very clearly that God is one, yet exists as three Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

I am excited to walk through Psalm 33 with you. I think you will be blessed by taking some time to study this wonderful chapter which reveals much about our awesome God.