The God of reason.

While discussing the Divine Providence of our country's founding it was suggested that we are no more divinely inspired than any other country. While I agree that all nations are lifted up and thrown down by God, the difference in ours was obvious (just read the Declaration of Independence). Some differences I gave were:

1) The equal application of justice to all, 2) The right of one to enjoy the fruit of his labor, 3) The understanding that men are inherently wicked and should have checks upon their power, 4) The investiture of government's power in the people (and their right to overthrow it and institute a new one should it not protect their God-given rights).

A friend then gave a quote by Thomas Jefferson suggesting that this foundation was due more to humanity's ability to reason than to God who blesses. The quote reads:

‎"Question with boldness even the existence of God; because, if there be one, he must approve more of the homage of reason than that of blindfolded fear."

It's a great quote and I agree with it to the extent that if mankind truly is made in God's image then we have the ability to reason, in part, as God reasons. Thus, the scripture is granted meaning when God proclaims to all men in Isaiah 1, "Come, let us reason together."

Still, the distinction between God as God and reason as god needed to be clarified. My thought process concluded that:

"Reason is a passionless god to serve. In any case, if not for man's depravity it would be reasonable to state that he would not be in need of redemption. Reason suggests that man, on the whole, is quite depraved, however. The truth is that reason is a quality of God and, like many of His qualities, we choose to serve it as opposed to the One who possesses it. Thus was Jefferson correct that we should serve a God of reason over fear but, more importantly, we trust that the unreasonable kindness of God in the face of our depravity is what leads us to salvation."

Regardless of what you think of our government now though, the promise that is to come is much better if you are His child! Isaiah 9:6-7 declares:

"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing it and upholding it in justice and righteousness from that time on and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this."

Hope from Budapest, Hungary.

When I was young I developed a passion for the consumption of all things World War II. I wanted to understand what I considered to be the most epic physical struggle in history. I don't remember the source, but I had heard of a family living in German occupied Budapest which the Russians were besieging during their inexorable counter offensive into the heart of Europe. They talked of how the fighting was so intense you could not go out into the streets for fear of being shot. The bullets were flying so thick down the boulevards it was like trying to push your way through a lead wall. What the civilians ended up doing was stretching lines across the streets from house to house where they could sling, slide or pull along products necessary for survival. It was a city full of misery and death.

That word picture left such an impression on my mind that it was the first thing I thought of when I saw the name of the city in this YouTube video:



I cried during the video (all 12 times I watched it today) and was so thankful for the redemption of that city and my memories of it. It is most apparently not a city on the edge of death as it once was. God will have His ultimate victory and it will be won by the smiles on children's faces and the dancing of old people. This epic war will not be won physically however, "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms" (Ephesians 6:12). The word picture in my mind now is one that points to heaven where we will all dance with perfect joy and great abandon in safety on the streets of gold in the city of God!

Update: While writing this, I found out that some of my favorite pieces of music by Antonio Vivaldi and Franz Schubert were played by the Budapest Strings.