The Jefferson Memorial
Early one morning on my trip I decided to walk to the Jefferson Memorial. It is a beautiful circular building with huge marble columns. In the center stands a large statue of Thomas Jefferson. When I arrived, it was so early in the morning that I practically had the monument to myself. Besides a few construction workers, security officers, and an occasional jogger, I was by myself in the huge memorial.
On the walls of the building, huge blocks of writing surround the statue in the center. When you begin to read the writing, it quickly becomes apparent that Thomas Jefferson believed in God. His belief in God caused him to make many very important decisions. For instance, on the wall to the right of the statue, this statement made by Jefferson is engraved: “God Who gave us life gave us liberty. Can the liberties of a nation be secure when we have removed a conviction that these liberties are the gift of God?” Thomas Jefferson was asking a very good question. He understood that our freedom in the United States is a gift from God. But he also understood that if we forget that this gift comes from God, then we will lose our freedoms. It is sad, but many people are starting to forget that our freedom comes from God. They think that Americans are free because we are braver, more knowlegable, or wealthier than other people. That simply is not true. America is free because God has allowed the nation to be free. If we forget this fact, we will lose our freedom.
Jefferson also made this statement: “When I reflect on the fact that God is just. That His justice cannot sleep forever.” Jefferson said this in regard to the slavery that was going on in his day. He thought slavery was wrong, and against God’s will. He also knew that because God is a just God Who will punish sin, then our nation would be held responsible for breaking God’s laws. Today the situation is similar. Even though we no longer approve of slavery, our nation murders children and calls it abortion. Our nation allows sinful things such as pornography to be legal. Since God is just, He cannot continue to allow such sinful things to go on without holding our nation responsible for them. His justice cannot sleep forever. Many more statements about God cover the building. We need to listen to what the Jefferson Memorial is trying to tell us.
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