Independence Day…

248 years later…

Many men and women have died to preserve our nation’s freedom, but today the country is in shambles where lawlessness abounds.

There is a concept of how a society or country will only last 250 years. We are fast approaching that pivotal year, so I thought I’d research and share the timeline.

For the first fifty years (1776-1826), leaders focus on survival, establishing boundaries and putting infrastructure in place, then they move to expand their boundaries as the people move and settle, they diversify their economy through agriculture, mining and trade.

For the second fifty years (1826-1876), the nation becomes more commercial with trade routes. More focus is on cultural things like the arts, literature and science. Formal institutions like universities, banks and courts are established. Populations increase and cities expand. (Although in the case of the U.S., the civil war occurred from 1861 to 1865, making it one of the deadliest conflicts in American history with approximately 750,000 deaths from both sides of the conflict.)

For the third fifty years (1876-1926), there’s a peak of prosperity with emerging luxurious lifestyles. Scholars of philosophy, science, and arts reach new heights, but the government becomes overly ambitious in their military campaigns. When resources are stretched thin, dissent begins to appear. Corruption and bureaucracy creeps in. Moral decay and civil unrest are the order of the day and central authority becomes weak.

For the fourth fifty years (1926-1976), there’s a complacency in the ruling class and social inequality grows. There’s corruption and nepotism in institutions and trust in them wanes. There’s a moral decay where social norms deteriorate, and materialism dominates. There is civil unrest, and the government struggles to maintain order and central authority weakens. (The great depression hit in the latter part of 1929 and lasted well into the 1930s. Civil unrest was quite evident in the civil rights movement from 1954 all the way to the assassination of Martin Luther King in 1968. Many died as a result of the unrest, and I remember the curfews in my hometown.)

For the fifth fifty years (1976-2026), there’s an economic decline where trade diminishes, and unemployment rises. Borders are breached and there’s a social breakdown where lawlessness spreads. Political instability is at the forefront and there are power struggles to destabilize the nation until finally the central government succumbs to a collapse where it may be invaded, breaks into smaller states or possibly falls under the control of another power.

While there are parallels to what historical individuals tell us about what happens in a society, and some of it we have experienced and are experiencing today, it does not have to be that way. We are headed toward our 250^th year and while there is fear and lawlessness everywhere we look, there is also hope.

There’s a scripture verse in 2 Chronicles 7:14 which says, “If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” I often pray this scripture over the country I was born to and love.

Just last night, our pastor encouraged us to pray for our nation (which my husband and I do regularly) and then he followed up with an email to us this morning. In it was the same encouragement, but there was something extra. I didn’t know there were four verses to our national anthem, Star Spangled Banner. Here is that fourth verse:

O thus be it ever when freemen shall stand

Between their lov’d home and the war’s desolation!

Blessed with vict’ry and peace may the heav’n rescued land

Praise the power that hath made and preserv’d us a nation

Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just.

And this be our motto “In God is our trust.”

And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave

O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

Many people often forget this great nation was built on Judeo-Christian principles. May God bless America, today and in the days to come. Pray for her… she needs it.