January 1 holds a tradition of monumental occurrences and the promise for vibrant hope. Consider the following two perspectives:
In the Beginning of Creation—
God said “Let there be light,” and there was light. And God saw that the light was good, and He separated the light from the darkness.” Genesis 1:3-4
In the annals of American History as we embark on a Quarter Millennium—
Two pivotal moments come to mind: the abolishment of the slave trade and the Emancipation Proclamation and the words of their powerful orators are worth noting.
First, on January 1, 1808, Rev. Bishop Absalom Jones delivered a “thanksgiving” sermon at the African Episcopal Church of St. Thomas in Philadelphia. He preaches from the text Exodus 3:7-8, closing with “…Fifthly, and lastly, Let the first of January, the day of the abolition of the slave trade in our country, be set apart in every year, as a day of public thanksgiving for that mercy. Let the history of the sufferings of our brethren, and of their deliverance, descend by this means to our children, to the remotest generations; and when they shall ask, in time to come, saying, What mean the lessons, the psalms, the prayers and the praises in the worship of this day? let us answer them, by saying, the Lord, on the day of which this is the anniversary, abolished the trade which dragged your fathers from their native country, and sold them as bondmen in the United States of America… We implore thy blessing, O God, upon the President, and all who are in authority in the United States. Direct them by thy wisdom, in all their deliberations, and O save thy people from the calamities of war. Give peace in our day, we beseech thee, O thou God of peace!… We implore all these blessings and mercies, only in the name of thy beloved Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord.” Unfortunately, slave-holding states still existed in the nation.
Even so, liberty moved along the right course, until many of the Founding Fathers died and Thomas Jefferson’s Democratic Party ushered in laws like the Missouri Compromise.
Then, on January 1, 1863, Fredrick Douglass recalled attending a watch night service where many black Americans eagerly awaited the stroke of midnight and the commencement of the Emancipation Proclamation. Douglass wrote, “It was one of the most affecting and thrilling occasions I ever witnessed, and a worthy celebration of the first step on the part of the nation in its departure from the tralldom of the ages…For my own part, I took the proclamation, first and last, for a little more than it purported, and saw in its spirit a life and power far beyond its letter. Its meaning to me was the entire abolition of slavery, wherever the evil could be reached by the Federal arm, and I saw that its moral power would extend much further. It was, in my estimation, an immense gain to have the war for the Union committed to the extinction of slavery, even from a military necessity. It is not a bad thing to have individuals or nations do right, though they do so from selfish motives.”
Douglass and others knew that more in the way of constitutional amendments were necessary to abolish slavery, forever, in the States.
And the nation moved in the right direction. That same year several civil rights laws were prepared by Lincoln’s Republican Party, including the Freedmen’s Bureau, The Military-Pay Bill (to equalize pay of white and black soldiers), and the repealing of the Fugitive Slave Law. President Lincoln was reelected. A civil war was won.
But it would not be long before the people, again and again, became rebellious, fractured, forgetting the Lord, the Creator, and Deliverer of all.
Considering all that is behind us and the path at present, how will you show appreciation to God for His grace (receiving what you don’t deserve) and mercy (not receiving what you justly do deserve)? What will you resolve as your responsibility to make the land you live (your nation) better than you received her? How will you love your neighbors (anyone nearby)? And how will your life be an opportunity to “light” up a dark world?
The answers are for us to ponder, and pray for, often.
Happiest of New Years to you! It’s good to be here.
Really,
Leah
References upon request: leah@reallyleah.com
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