Do you have a dream
to see America restored? Can you envision it? If so, is it a God-sized
vision that encompasses all of life?Do you have a dream
to see America restored? Can you envision it? If so, is it a God-sized
vision that encompasses all of life?
John Knox had such a vision. It is said that, more than any other man, Knox changed an entire nation. His life transformed Scotland by combining his deep devotion to Christ with a vision to see his faith impact every sphere of society.
Such thinking caused Knox to come face to face with the rulers of his day. During one confrontation with Mary, Queen of Scots - a notoriously ungodly woman - Knox spoke of "the office it has pleased God to place me." What was that office? Was it the office of "pastor" or "church leader"? It was not that simple. Knox said, "I am a watchman both of the [civic] realm and of the [Church] of God."
I hope you caught that. Knox knew that God had placed him as a leader in two realms: the realm of faith and the realm of society. His example illustrates the two-fold mission that provides the framework for every believer's life: the Great Commission and the Cultural Mandate.
That's how Knox changed all of Scotland in his lifetime. After studying under Calvin in Geneva, Knox returned to Scotland, which would never be the same again. He stood in the pulpit and the public square and called on his fellow Scotsman to build their society on the principles of Scripture. In time, Scotland became the most Christian-permeated society in the world.
Knox's influence was just beginning. In the 1700s, long after his death, English persecution returned. As a result, Scots began leaving for America in droves. These Scottish immigrants, with their biblical world view and the legacy of John Knox, gave us the covenantal framework upon which our government was founded. The British even called our war for independence the "Presbyterian Rebellion." Representative government, separation of powers, our federal (which means "covenantal") system and religious liberty are a few of the legacies we enjoy today because of Knox.
The life mission of Knox is best summarized by a statement he often made: "Lord, give me Scotland or I die!" Because of his God-sized vision, he received as his inheritance not only Scotland, but a new world called America.
How about you? Do you have a God-sized vision for your nation? When you think of America in 50 or 100 years, what great scene comes to mind? Can you envision a land in which God is honored from the schoolhouse to the White House? Can you see hundreds of thousands of missionaries spanning the globe to fulfill the Great Commission? Can you see an America that leads not just economically, but morally and spiritually as well?
It's time for God's people to get on their knees, then into the streets. It's time to take a stand right now for the unborn, for our families and for our liberties. Not so that we can enjoy a nicer life, but so that generations to come will reap the blessings of a few courageous souls in 2001 who had the courage and conviction to say, "Lord, give me America or I die!"
Dr. D. James Kennedy is president of Coral Ridge Ministries, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.