In the beginning She was relatively small and poor, at least in some ways.  Her family was small and many fell to disease their first years in a harsh new land.   She had grit and determination and She came seeking the freedom to worship as She believed was right.  In time that small band grew and became 13 colonies and later 13 states.  They organized themselves, fought to govern themselves and established themselves as “One nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all.”

The years were not always kind to Her but she had a friend truer than a brother who stood by Her as long as She humbled herself before Him.  He was her Creator.  He was her Savior.  He was her friend.  In the wealthy years She dressed in silk and satin and enjoyed the contentment of Her family.  In lean years she bore rags and guided Her family toward the Creator for strength.

Wars came, for mankind always finds a way to war, and She wept as her sons and daughters left for battlefields both foreign and domestic and never returned.   She cried bitter tears for the ones who returned from these wars disillusioned, scarred and uncertain.  Always their champion, though few believed.

She and Her people took up the cause of Christ, trusted in Him and followed Him through.

As the years passed the Lady held firm to Her Creator until gradually her hold was loosen.   It only took one bad decision for others to soon follow.

• The first legal abortion.
• The first prayer banned from Her classrooms.
• The first slave.
•  The first denial of human rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
• The first shot of many battles.
• The first war that pitted son against father.
•  So many first sins that seemed to creep in until they threatened the Lady’s existence.

The Woman cried out to their Creator for guidance, for help.  Even in her Sunday best She no longer appeared as radiant.  There was dimness about Her light.  There was weariness among Her people.

“What must we do to again be called a Christian nation?” The Lady called out.

“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 will heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:14 N.I.V.)

Many took up that cry.  But sin had already broke through and stolen the hearts of many people.  A great apathy lay across the land and the Lady knew no way to wake them from their slumber.  Still She cried on, repeating the words of the Creator.  Others joined her.  Others laughed.  Others rejected.

But She was a Lady.  A Lady of grace and steel.  A Lady who refused to fall as the greatest nation on earth.  So the call continued throughout the land…

“Yet who has heard?Who has heard?”