“Daniel answered and said: ‘Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, for wisdom and might are His. And He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise And knowledge to those who have understanding.’” (Daniel 2:20-21, NKJV)
George Washington was born in 1722 and died at age 67 in 1799. During that period of time his life helped dramatically change the history of the Western Hemisphere and led directly to the founding of the United States of America. Born in Pope Creek, Virginia, a British colony, he was a planter, surveyor, soldier, and the first President of the United States of America. He married a widow, Martha Dandridge in 1759 and they lived together for the rest of their lives in Mount Vernon, Virginia.
His early career as a surveyor in the land west of the colonies led him to be very familiar with the area that would someday become Pennsylvania. When the French and Indian War began he was given a commission as a Major in the Virginia Militia and led an expedition to thwart the French and Indian incursions into that area. His mission ended in disaster and surrender to a superior French force and he returned to Virginia in disgrace.
But later a British expedition under General Braddock returned to the same area and Major Washington went as his second in command due to his knowledge of the area. The Expedition was ambushed and badly defeated by a force of French and Indians in an action called the Battle of Monongahela in 1755. (Near modern day Pittsburgh) General Braddock was killed and Washington organized the retreat and was able to save a big part of the army. During the battle Washington continually exposed himself to enemy fire and had two horses shot out from under him and four bullet holes were in his jacket but he was not hit once.
Washington wrote these words about the action in a letter to his brother:”Death was leveling my companions on every side of me, but by the all-powerful dispensations of Providence, I have been protected.” (The use of the word Providence was a very common way of saying the “providence of God” during the 18th century.) The Light and the Glory, by Peter Marshall and David Manuel, p. 286.
Washington was a devout Christian, not a Deist that some books have called him. He wrote many awesome prayers in a book called Daily Sacrifice to express his love of the Lord and Jesus Christ.
Examples of these prayers are:
1) “Oh most glorious God….I acknowledge and confess my faults, in the weak and imperfect performance of my duties. I have called on Thee for pardon and forgiveness of sins, but so coldly and carelessly that my prayers are become my sin and stand in need of pardon. I have heard Thy holy word, but with such a deadness of spirit that I have been an unprofitable and forgetful hearer….”
2) “Direct my thoughts, words and work, wash away my sins in the immaculate Blood of the Lamb, and purge my heart by Thy Holy Spirit….daily frame me more and more into the likeness of Thy Son, Jesus Christ.” Ibid, p.284-285.
Fifteen years after the Battle of the Monongahela, Washington along with his friend Dr. Clark were exploring the wilderness in Pennsylvania again and an Indian Chief with his braves asked to meet with him and this is the story that the chief told around the campfire:
“I am a chief and ruler over my tribes. My influence extends to the waters of the great lakes, and to the far blue mountains. I have traveled a long and weary path, that I might see the young warrior of the great battle. It was on that day when the white man’s blood mixed with the streams of our forest, that I beheld this chief. I called to my young men and said, ‘Mark yon tall and daring warrior? He is not of the red-coat tribe—he hath an Indian’s wisdom, and his warriors fight as we do—himself alone is exposed. Quick let your aim be certain, and he dies.’ Our rifles were leveled, rifles which but for him, knew not how to miss…Twas all in vain; a power mightier far than we shielded him from harm. He cannot die in battle. I am old, and soon will be gathered to the great council fire of my fathers in the land of the shades, but ere I go, there is something that bids me speak in the voice of prophecy: Listen! The Great Spirit protects that man and guides his destinies –he will become a chief of nations, and a people yet unborn will hail him as the founder of a mighty empire.”
I submit to you that this was God’s man chosen to lead a nation in America’s greatest crisis up until this time in American history and in fact there might not be any significant American history to read if not for him.
He was not the greatest commander but he was the greatest leader and exactly the leader that the fledgling nation needed. He lost more battles than he won but he held the army together after every defeat and during the harsh winters such as at Valley Forge,1777-1778. Additionally, he miraculously escaped death or capture on at least three different occasions. Those occasions were:
The defeat at the Battle of Brooklyn in 1776 where his army was trounced by British General Howe but who did not continue the attack to finish off the Continentals and Washington evacuated the army after two days of waiting by small boats under cover of a miraculous storm and fog, allowing the entire army to retreat to Manhattan Island.
The attack of the British rear guard at Princeton after the battle of Trenton, where Washington rode out in front of his troops who were falling back and rallied them to press home the attack and clear the British from the field. He was within 30 yards of the British battle lines and not a single bullet hit him or his horse.
Ordered to halt by a British sniper who had Washington in his sights and ordered to surrender, Washington calmly turned his horse around and slowly walked the horse out of the clearing and into the woods. The British sniper could have put several rounds in him but did not feel he should shoot a man in the back who was showing such bravery!
He then, with the help of the French, was able to defeat the British army’s best general, General Cornwalis at Yorktown, and eventually the British granted the colonies their independence.
We have much to be grateful for that our God chose George Washington to lead the army and later the nation as the first president of this new republic.
Pray
Lord thank You that You are the one who raises up kings and presidents and You are the one that decides what people have the privilege of being Your disciples and servants.
Lord, be with our leaders at the national, state, and the local level and give us godly men and women to lead us to be a righteous and godly people.
Fill our pastors and other shepherds with Your Spirit and lead us where You desire us to go and to reflect Your Holiness in our lives every day.
