I just finished reading an outstanding book: “Abraham Lincoln, A Man of Faith and Courage,” by Joe Wheeler (Simon and Schuster, 2008).
I have read many, far more detailed, tedious biographies of the one considered by many to be America’s greatest president. What I liked most about this particular book was how it deals more with the personal faith of Abraham Lincoln.
Literally born in a log cabin in abject poverty, Lincoln saw his mother die at an early age. The woman who took her place in young Abe’s life, however, become a powerful positive influence in his life. He said of her, “All that I am, or hope to be, I owe to my angel mother.”
Against all odds and despite multiple setbacks, Lincoln ascended to the presidency. He had many personal tragedies, including the death of two of his sons during his lifetime. But it was Lincoln’s personal faith that sustained him through this and much more to come.
At the beginning of one of the chapters focusing on that faith, Wheeler quotes Lincoln saying, “I can see how it might be possible for someone to look down upon the earth and be an atheist, but I cannot conceive how he could look up into the heavens and say there is no God.”
Almost immediately after Lincoln was sworn in, what was to be known as the Civil War began. Many underestimated Lincoln’s resolve, but he was determined to keep the Union together.
As the war progressed, however, another conviction grew stronger and stronger in Lincoln’s mind. Not only was it vital to preserve the Union, but the war had to be fought and settled to rid the United States of the evils of slavery – a practice that could simply no longer stand. At great cost, the war finally ended and the slaves were free, thanks to Abraham Lincoln – a man who read and believed the Bible.
Only a few days ago, history was made as our first African-American president took the oath of office. Our new president, Barack Obama, has great admiration for Lincoln and even placed his hand on the same Bible Lincoln used when he was sworn in.
Lincoln had no qualms about expressing his faith in God and his belief in Jesus Christ. Early in his career, he declared, “I do not think I could myself, be brought to support a man for office, whom I knew to be an open enemy of, and scoffer at, religion.” In his first inaugural address, he said, “Intelligence, patriotism, Christianity and a firm reliance on Him, who has never yet forsaken this favored land, are still competent to adjust, in the best way, all our present difficulty.”
In a speech in 1863, he confessed, “Nevertheless, amid the greatest difficulties of my administration, when I could not see any other resort, I would place my whole reliance on God, knowing that all would go well, and that He would decide for the right.”
Lincoln was a strong believer in Scripture as well. On Sept. 7, 1864, after receiving the gift of a Bible from a group of grateful black citizens in Baltimore, he declared: “In regard to this Great Book, I have but to say, it is the best gift God has given to man. All the good the Saviour gave to the world was communicated through this book. But for it we could not know right from wrong. All things most desirable for man’s welfare, here and hereafter, are to be found portrayed in it.”
We must continue to look to God and His Word.
We can debate whether or not America is a “Christian nation” today. But we cannot honestly debate the fact that it is the Christian faith that influenced the framers of our Constitution and was a major influence on the 16th president of the United States – the man who saved the Union and freed the slaves.
We owe these firm believers a great debt for their strong faith in God that enabled them to persevere in times of personal and national crisis.
As a nation, we must continue to look to the Lord who has so richly blessed our nation in the past, or we will surely face the dire consequences of turning our backs on Him.
The Bible says, “Godliness makes a nation great, but sin is a disgrace to any people” (Proverbs 14:34, NLT). May the Lord help us now as a nation, direct the steps of our new president, and may we all look to God and His Word for direction as we face an uncertain future.
