Thought for July 5, 2024

•  1687: "Principia" by Isaac Newton published
• 1852: Frederick Douglas delivers the "What to the Slave is the Fourth of July" speech.
• 1865: US Secret Service begins operation as part of the Treasury Department
• 1994: Amazon.com founded by Jeff Bezo 
• 2017: Followers of Ashutosh Mahara win a court case to keep his body in a freezer in case he should return to life. Still waiting.
• Born: David Farragut, PT Barnum, Cecil Rhodes, Edie Falco, Huey Lewis, 
• Died: Ted Williams, Chester Greenwood [invented earmuffs], 

Thought:

Reading Genesis 32 this morning where Jacob wrestles with God and is renamed Israel. Larry, why would you jump from Psalms to Genesis? An event that occurred on July 5, 1863, made me think about wrestling with God. Have you ever wrestled with God? Back in 1980, I vividly recall a night wrestling with God. When I left the Air Force and returned to Nashville in 1975, I began practicing law with an experienced lawyer that I had clerked for during law school. He changed the name of his firm to Little and Thrailkill and was my mentor. In 1980, another firm in town approached us about merging our practices. Stennis was eager to merge, saw a bright upside and many new opportunities. I was troubled. I went home to my basement, sat in a rocking chair and prayed all night. Yes, I could see the possibilities for new clients, bigger clients, perhaps more money, but I was unsettled. God was telling me to say "no" to the merger, but my listing of pros and cons was saying "yes." I had no real clients of my own, no money to start a practice, and no place to go, but God said "no." The next day I told Stennis I could not join the merger and he gave me two weeks to leave--I remember walking out with everything related to my practice in a banker's box. But God was right, I started a new practice and He blessed. The merger ultimately failed and Stennis left that firm and started over on his own. 

Why would I think about that this morning? On Sunday July 5, 1863, President Lincoln and his son Tad, visited the wounded from the battle of Gettysburg. One of the wounded was General Daniel Sickles who had lost a leg in the battle. Lincoln asked Sickles for information about the victory and battle. Then Sickles asked Lincoln was he worried about the battle since some had urged the evacuation of Washington. Lincoln replied that he had not been worried and Sickles was shocked and asked why. Lincoln told Sickles that he had gone to his room, gotten on his knees and prayed to Almighty God about Gettysburg. That he made a vow to the Lord that if God would stand by the boys at Gettysburg, Lincoln would stand for God. Lincoln called it wrestling with God. After praying, he felt a sweet comfort over his soul. Lincoln pledged to keep his vow and stand by the Lord. 

Now, I'm not sure how God takes sides in the battle at Gettysburg, but as I have written from the Psalms, if we are on the Lord's side, whom shall we fear. And my testimony is that when wrestling with God, stop striving and follow His lead and everything will work out for my good and His glory. 

Blessings

Larry