Plucking the Eagle's Wings

Plucking the Eagle's Wings

nation's sins of slavery and pride. Lincoln called for a national Day of Humility, Fasting and Prayer. On April 30, 1863, Lincoln stated: "It is the duty of nations as well as of men to own their dependence upon the overruling power of God; to confess their sins and transgressions in humble sorrow, yet with assured hope that genuine repentance will lead to mercy and pardon." He concluded by saying, "It behooves us, then, to humble ourselves before the offended Power, and confess our national sins, and to pray for clemency and forgiveness." After the people observed this decree, it seemed that the Union began winning the war. Two days after the decree, General Stonewall Jackson was accidentally shot and killed by one of his own men. The battle at Gettysburg came soon after but, without Jackson and Divine Providence, the South was never to succeed. Lincoln later revealed his personal prayer for the battle at Gettysburg. He knew that if Gettysburg were lost, the Union would be dissolved. Lincoln shared: "I went to my room one day, and I locked the door, and got down on my knees before Almighty God, and prayed to him mightily for victory at Gettysburg. I told him this was His war, and our cause His cause, but we shouldn't stand another Fredericksburg or Chancellorsville. And I there and then made a solemn vow to Almighty God, that if He would stand by you boys at Gettysburg, I would stand by Him. After that a sweet comfort swept into my soul." It is written in 2 Chronicles 12:7 that, when God saw the princes and the king of Israel humbling themselves, He declared: "They have humbled themselves; therefore I will not destroy them, but I will grant them some deliverance and my wrath shall not be poured out upon Jerusalem." Abraham Lincoln was one of America's most humble Presidents. Had another been in the White House, our nation could have been dealt a fatal blow. As with ancient Israel, America was divided over a "yoke." Israel's "yoke" was harsh rule and a heavy tax burden, while America's "yoke,, was slavery. God promised Israel that one day He would reunite the divided nation into one (Ezekiel 37:16-19). God not only saved America, but lie reunited our nation through the prayers and leadership

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