Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and you are exalted as head above all. – 1 Chronicles 29:11
King Charles gave 29 million acres to William Penn, a writer who became a member of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) at the age of 22. Penn wanted to make his colony, “Pennsylvania,” a “holy experiment” where Christians of different denominations who were persecuted for their faith in Europe could flee for refuge and live together. While most countries demanded that citizens believe as the government dictated, this colony allowed Christians, Jews, and others who believed in God to live together in religious toleration. On January 1, 1681, Penn declared that he would, “Make and establish such laws as shall best preserve true Christian and civil liberty, in all opposition to all unchristian… practices.” For example, Quakers, Presbyterians, Lutherans, Baptists, Moravians, Mennonites, Amish, Catholics, and Jews lived together in “Philadelphia,” the “city of “brotherly love,”
Pennsylvania’s first legislative act, “The Great Law of Pennsylvania,” stated: “No person who shall confess and acknowledge one Almighty God to be the Creator, Upholder and Ruler of the World shall in any case be molested or prejudiced for his, or her Conscientious persuasion or practice but shall freely and fully enjoy his or her Christian Liberty without any interruption.”
Pennsylvania was where the Continental Congress met, the Declaration of Independence was signed, the U.S. Constitution was written, and where the nation’s first capital was located. And because of Penn’s perseverance for religious freedom, many churches were established, and the Lord has been worshipped across that state for hundreds of years.
So as you worship your Majestic Lord today, pray that America’s leaders will also acknowledge the King of Kings and act to protect priceless religious liberty in this nation.
Today’s Verse: 1 Chronicles 29:11
Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and you are exalted as head above all.
All Scripture quotations and audio are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Recommended for further reading: Revelation 5:9-14
And they sang a new song, saying,
“Worthy are you to take the scroll
and to open its seals,
for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God
from every tribe and language and people and nation,
10 and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God,
and they shall reign on the earth.”
11 Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, 12 saying with a loud voice,
“Worthy is the Lamb who was slain,
to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might
and honor and glory and blessing!”
13 And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying,
“To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb
be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!”
14 And the four living creatures said, “Amen!” and the elders fell down and worshiped.
All Scripture quotations and audio are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
