regeneration: learning the truth, succumbing to temptation, but always being
lifted up with new opportunities and never abandoned by the Lord.
When we are blessed to live in freedom, without kings or tyrants ruling
over us, we have more options – and more responsibilities. When America
was declaring its independence in 1776, for instance, an anxious woman asked
Benjamin Franklin, “What do we have?” And he told her bluntly: “A republic
– if you can keep it.”
“If you can keep it.” There was sown the citizens' responsibility to a
government of “we the people.” As citizens throughout the world who have
the privilege of choosing our own leaders, we also have the responsibility for
establishing the kinds of nations we will uphold. That starts with modeling the
beliefs we wish to be upheld, then looking for leaders who are guided by the
Lord and the spiritual values that flow from Him.
As we evaluate our would-be leaders, it is good to remember that who
leads us is never as important as what leads us, and ever to be guided by the
ideal:
“Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord.”
(BMH)
the gift of spiritual knowledge
It is worth reflecting on the priceless gift of spiritual knowledge that has been
revealed for the New Church lest we begin to take it for granted or lose our
sense of responsibility to preserve it, use it wisely, and pass it along to the next
generation. And there is delight in such reflection for the more we realize what
a treasure we have, the more we can be thankful for it and rejoice in it.
“I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now” the
Lord told His disciples when He was in the world in person. (John 16:12) They
weren’t ready. People – at least some people – must now be ready because, in
His providence, the Lord has seen fit to reveal many new and deeper truths
that He left hidden in His first advent.
Some people. Why we, out of all the people on earth, should be the ones
to receive this blessing, we don’t know. To imagine that it is because of some
special merit of our own would be extremely foolish. And yet, deserving or
not, for some reason we have been entrusted with the treasure of angelic
wisdom contained in the books of the Writings. “You did not choose Me, but
I chose you.” (John 15:16)
Yes, we are blessed because we have seen something wonderful – but we
should remember that others also are blessed “who have not seen and yet have
believed.” (John 20:29)
Knowledge is dangerous, and the greater the knowledge the greater the
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