PSALM 33:12-22 | ANNUIT COEPTIS

ANNUIT COEPTIS

PSALM 33:12-22

JULY 3, 2016

IN AN OLD EPISODE OF THE ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW, FROM 1963, ENTITLED ANDY DISCOVERS AMERICA, OPIE AND THE OTHER BOYS IN CLASS ARE HAVING A PROBLEM WITH THEIR NEW TEACHER, MISS CRUMP, AND ALL OF THE HISTORY HOMEWORK SHE’S BEEN ASSIGNING.

WHEN ANDY SUGGESTS THAT MAYBE THEY’RE STARTING TO TEACH HISTORY A LITTLE TOO EARLY IN SCHOOL, AUNT BEA RESPONDS THAT “MAYBE THEY HAVE TO, SINCE THERE’S MORE OF IT TO TEACH THAN THERE USED TO BE.”

ANDY TELLS OPIE THAT HE WAS NEVER VERY GOOD AT HISTORY, AND TO DO HIS BEST, BUT OPIE TAKES ANDY’S EMPATHY AS AN EXCUSE NOT TO DO HIS HISTORY HOMEWORK, AND THEN STRETCHES THE TRUTH A BIT ABOUT WHAT HIS PA SAID, WHEN HE TELLS HIS TEACHER THAT HIS PA SAID HE DIDN’T HAVE TO KNOW ALL THAT STUFF.

THE OTHER BOYS PILE ON AND COMPLAIN ABOUT HOW UNFAIR THE TEACHER’S BEING, WHICH PROMPTS MISS CRUMP TO PAY A VISIT TO ANDY AT THE JAILHOUSE, AND SCOLD HIM FOR MAKING HER JOB THAT MUCH MORE DIFFICULT.

ANDY, SENSING THAT HE MIGHT BE, AT LEAST IN PART, AT FAULT FOR WHAT HAS HAPPENED, SARCASTICALLY TELLS THE BOYS THAT THEY WERE RIGHT TO STAND UP TO THEIR TEACHER… YOU SHOULD GO OUT AND PLAY, CELEBRATE…

THAT THERE’S NO NEED FOR THEM TO LEARN ALL THAT HISTORY JUNK – ALL THAT STUFF ABOUT INDIANS, AND REDCOATS, AND CANNONS, AND MUSKETS AND SUCH…

“YEA, YEA,” THE BOYS CHEER… WHAT ABOUT INDIANS, AND REDCOATS, AND CANNONS, AND MUSKETS AND SUCH?

“OH, YOU KNOW,” ANDY SAYS, “ALL THAT STUFF ABOUT INDIANS, AND REDCOATS, HISTORY… AND ABOUT THAT CRAZY GUN THEY HAD THAT FIRED A SHOT THAT COULD BE HEARD ROUND THE WORLD…”

ANDY THEN GOES ON TO TELL THEM HIS OWN EXCITING VERSION OF THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR, AND THE RIDE OF PAUL REVERE, SPREADING IT ON EXTRA THICK…

WHEN THE BOYS ASK ANDY WHERE HE GOT ALL THOSE GREAT STORIES, HE TELLS THEM “THAT IT’S ALL RIGHT THERE IN THE BOOK.”  “WHAT BOOK IS THAT?”  THE BOYS ASK.

“OH, IN YOUR HISTORY BOOK.”  “IN OUR HISTORY BOOK?!”

THE BOYS ARE SO EXCITED THAT THEY DECIDE TO FORM THE MAYBERRY MINUTEMEN DEDICATED TO DOING THEIR HISTORY HOMEWORK;

AND THAT TO GET IN, ONE MUST BE ABLE TO RECITE DATES, AND LEARN THE HISTORY OF OUR NATION, AND ANY GUY WHO DOESN’T JOIN UP IS BRITISH…

THE NEXT DAY AT SCHOOL, MISS CRUMP LEADS THE CHILDREN IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, AND THEN ASKS THEM TO PULL OUT THEIR HISTORY BOOKS, BUT BEFORE SHE BEGINS THE LESSON, SHE STOPS TO ASK THE BOYS IF THEY EVER THINK ABOUT THE WORDS THEY SAY IN THE PLEDGE.

“DO ANY OF YOU EVER HEAR THOSE WORDS?  DO YOU KNOW WHAT THEY MEAN?  I DOUBT IT.  DO ANY OF YOU HAVE THE FAINTEST IDEA HOW THIS COUNTRY GOT STARTED OR HAVE ANY INTEREST IN LEARNING ABOUT IT?” SHE ASKS.

OPIES’ HAND SHOOTS UP.  “IF YOU HAVE, YOU CERTAINLY HAVEN’T SHOWN IT.”  OPIE CONTINUES TO WAVE HIS HAND…

“WHAT IS IT OPIE?”  “I KNOW,” HE SAYS.  “YOU KNOW WHAT?” MISS CRUMP ASKS.  “HOW THIS COUNTRY WAS FOUNDED.”  “INDEED,” SAYS MISS CRUMP, “WELL SUPPOSE YOU TELL US.”

“THE FOUNDING OF JAMESTOWN, 1607…”  THEN THE OTHER BOYS BEGIN TO CHIME IN, “HE WASN’T THE FIRST, COLUMBUS WAS THE FIRST IN 1492…”  THEN ANOTHER, “WHAT ABOUT THE PILGRIMS?”  “THEY WEREN’T THE FIRST AMERICANS, YOU DOPE, THE INDIANS WERE…”

MISS CRUMP IS SO IMPRESSED BY ALL THEY’VE LEARNED SHE GETS THEM TO RETURN TO THEIR SEATS AND BEGINS TEACHING AGAIN; AND LATER RETURNS TO THE JAILHOUSE TO THANK ANDY FOR WHATEVER IT IS HE DID TO GET THEM EXCITED ABOUT HISTORY AND ABOUT LEARNING…

ANDY ADMITS THAT HE MIGHT HAVE SPREAD ON A LITTLE EXTRA JAM IN TELLING THE STORY… AND MISS CRUMP OFFERS THAT IT MUST HAVE BEEN SOME VERY SPECIAL JAM…

THIS IS 4^TH OF JULY WEEKEND, THAT TIME EACH YEAR WHEN WE STOP TO THINK ABOUT THE HISTORY OF OUR NATION, ABOUT ITS FOUNDING PRINCIPLES, AND ABOUT WHAT THE WORDS OF THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, AND OTHER IMPORTANT WORDS – THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE, THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES, MEAN.

BUT WE NEVER WANT TO SIMPLY BE LOOKING BACK.

AS MUCH AS I ENJOY A GOOD RE-RUN OF THE ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW, OR LEAVE IT TO BEAVER, OR GILLIGAN’S ISLAND, I KNOW THAT THOSE ICONIC SHOWS, AND THEIR DEPICTION OF WHAT SOME WOULD SAY WAS A SIMPLER, BETTER TIME IN OUR NATION, IS ONLY PART OF THE STORY.

FOR IT WAS, IN THOSE SAME YEARS, IN THE REAL WORLD, THAT WE WERE IN THE MIDST OF THE COLD WAR AND THE CUBAN MISSILE CRISIS.

I GREW UP IN FLORIDA – I REMEMBER THE SAC (THE STRATEGIC AIR COMMAND) PLANES FLYING OVERHEAD, THE TRUCKS AND TROOPS HEADED SOUTH, THE LINEN CLOSET WE CONVERTED INTO A “BOMB SHELTER” WITH PLASTIC SHEETING, CANNED GOODS, AND JUGS OF WATER, THINKING THAT IT WOULD KEEP US SAFE.

IT WAS A TIME OF MAYBERRY, AND MAYFIELD (THE LEAVE IT TO BEAVER TOWN), AND GOMER PYLE…

BUT IT WAS ALSO THE TIME OF THE VIETNAM WAR, THE STRUGGLE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS, AND THE ASSASSINATIONS OF A PRESIDENT, A PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE, AND A LEADER OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT.

GO BACK?  NO THANKS!

IN FACT, THIS COUNTRY WAS NEVER BUILT TO GO BACK, BUT TO ALWAYS BE MOVING FORWARD, GETTING BETTER, DOING BETTER, ALWAYS IMPROVING AS A NATION.

AS BUT ONE SIMPLE PROOF OF THAT THIS MORNING, I OFFER YOU… THE ONE DOLLAR BILL – AND IN PARTICULAR – THE BACK OF THE ONE DOLLAR BILL.

THIS IS WHERE YOU WILL WANT TO GET IT OUT AND TAKE A LOOK AT IT WITH ME.  (BTW – YOU CAN KEEP IT OR THROW IT IN THE OFFERING PLATE LATER ON.)

LOOK – BEGINNING ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE OF THE BILL.  THE UNFINISHED PYRAMID.  THIRTEEN STEPS, REPRESENTING THE ORIGINAL THIRTEEN COLONIES/STATES, WITH THE TIP OF THE PYRAMID INCOMPLETE.

AT THE BASE OF THE PYRAMID THE ROMAN NUMERALS FOR 1776; AND ABOVE IT THE LATIN WORDS – ANNUIT COEPTUS – ROUGHLY TRANSLATED:

“HE (GOD) FAVORS OUR UNDERTAKING.”

ONLY THE DESIGNER OF THE BILL WAS WISE – THE LATIN PHRASE IS ACTUALLY GENDER NEUTRAL – SO IT COULD BE “HE, SHE, OR IT FAVORS OUR UNDERTAKING” AND IN ACTUALITY, THERE IS NO SPECIFIC MENTION OF THE DIVINE AT ALL, IT IS SIMPLY ASSUMED.

ABOVE THE UNFINISHED PYRAMID IS A TRIANGLE CONTAINING THE “EYE OF PROVIDENCE” WHAT WE OFTEN CALL THE “EYE OF GOD” WATCHING OVER US.

BY THE WAY, FOR ANY CONSPIRACY THEORISTS WHO HAPPEN TO BELIEVE THAT ALL OF THIS IS SOME SORT OF MASONIC, OR SECRET SOCIETY PLOT FOR RUNNING THE NATION, THE MASONS DID NOT ADOPT THE EYE OF PROVIDENCE UNTIL 17 YEARS AFTER THE DOLLAR BILL WAS IN PRINT.

BELOW THE PYRAMID ARE ADDITIONAL LATIN WORDS NOVUS ORDO SECLORUM – A NEW ORDER OF THE AGES;

IN OTHER WORDS, THIS THING WE WERE DOING AS THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA WAS SOMETHING NEW; SOMETHING DIFFERENT; SOMETHING SPECIAL;

WHAT WAS BEING DONE THEN WAS NEW; IT’S NEW NOW; AND IT WILL ALWAYS BE A NEW THING.

YOU SEE, THE SEAL IS MEANT TO BE UNFINISHED BECAUSE OUR COUNTRY IS MEANT TO BE UNFINISHED.

WE’RE MEANT TO KEEP BUILDING.  KEEP DOING BETTER.  WE’RE MEANT TO KEEP DISCUSSING AND DEBATING; WE’RE MEANT TO DO MORE.

ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE OF THE BILL IS THE SYMBOL OF THE EAGLE, THE NATIONAL BIRD AND SYMBOL OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

IN ITS TALONS – AN OLIVE BRANCH OF PEACE AND THE ARROWS OF WAR.

DID YOU KNOW THAT THE INLAY OF THIS SYMBOL IS PART OF THE CARPET IN THE OVAL OFFICE – THE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT – AND THAT WHEN WE ARE AT PEACE THE EAGLE FACES THE OLIVE BRANCH; AND WHEN WE ARE OFFICIALLY AT WAR, THE EAGLE FACES THE ARROWS.

WE CAN ONLY ASSUME FROM THE DOLLAR BILL, AND THE EAGLE’S FACING TOWARD THE OLIVE BRANCH, THAT WHAT WE CHOOSE, WHAT WE DESIRE, AS A NATION, AS BEST WE CAN, IS TO BE AT PEACE.

THIRTEEN STARS APPEAR ABOVE THE EAGLE’S HEAD, AGAIN THE THIRTEEN ORIGINAL COLONIES/STATES.

THE RIBBON/BANNER IN THE EAGLE’S MOUTH – EMBLAZONED WITH THE LATIN WORDS E PLURIBUS UNUM – MEANING – “OUT OF MANY, ONE” – REFERRING TO THE UNION BETWEEN THE STATES AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

AND YES, THERE IS ONE MORE THING ON THE BACK OF THE DOLLAR BILL, SMACK DAB IN THE CENTER, WRITTEN IN PLAIN ENGLISH, JUST ABOVE THE DENOMINATION OF THE BILL “ONE” – THE WORDS – “IN GOD WE TRUST.”

LIKE TEACHER HELEN CRUMP – I WONDER IF WE REALLY BELIEVE THOSE WORDS; IF WE REALLY KNOW WHAT THEY MEAN; IF WE PRACTICE THEM IN OUR LIVES AS CITIZENS, AND AS ONE NATION UNDER GOD.

I WONDER IF WE REALIZE THAT THE FOUNDING FATHERS AND MOTHERS OF THIS NATION SPECIFICALLY LEFT OPEN THE MEANING OF THOSE WORDS, SO THAT THEY CAN MEAN TO EACH OF US, WHAT WE TAKE THEM TO MEAN;

WHO WE UNDERSTAND GOD TO BE; AND HOW WE WORSHIP THE GOD OF OUR OWN CHOOSING.

IN FACT, IT IS THE FIRST PART, OF THE FIRST AMENDMENT; THE VERY FIRST FREEDOM PROTECTED UNDER THE CONSTITUTION:

“CONGRESS SHALL MAKE NO LAW RESPECTING AN ESTABLISHMENT OF RELIGION, OR PROHIBITING THE FREE EXERCISE THEREOF;”

IT COMES BEFORE FREEDOM OF SPEECH, FREEDOM OF THE PRESS, THE FREEDOM TO PEACEABLY ASSEMBLE, AND THE FREEDOM TO PETITION THE GOVERNMENT FOR A REDRESS OF GRIEVANCES.

IT’S JUST THAT IMPORTANT!

NOW, I AM NOT GOING TO TELL YOU WHAT THE WORDS “IN GOD WE TRUST” SHOULD MEAN TO YOU.

AND I AM NOT GOING TO TELL YOU HOW WE SHOULD BE BUILDING OUR UNFINISHED PYRAMID OF A NATION, NOW, OR FOR THE FUTURE.

HOWEVER, IT IS UP TO EACH OF US, TO ALL OF US, TO DECIDE IF WE ARE BUILDING OUR NATION ON GODLY PRINCIPLES, UNDER GOD’S WATCHFUL EYE, AS ONE NATION UNDER GOD, BEFORE THE GOD IN WHOM (WE SAY) WE TRUST.

WE CANNOT SIMPLY MOUTH THOSE WORDS AT SCHOOL, AT BALLGAMES, AT OUR CIVIC CLUB OR IN GOVERNMENT ASSEMBLIES; WE CANNOT SIMPLY PAY LIP SERVICE TO THESE WORDS IN ORDER TO GET OUR CANDIDATE ELECTED; AND THEN NOT PRACTICE THEM IN OUR LIVES.

AND AS FOR US – AS CHRISTIANS – AS PEOPLE OF FAITH – IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT EVEN BEYOND WHAT WE BELIEVE, SAY, AND DO AS CITIZENS OF THIS NATION…

THAT WE LIVE OUT LIVES OF FAITH BEFORE ALMIGHTY GOD TO WHOM IS OUR ULTIMATE ALLEGIANCE.

IT IS WHAT THE AUTHOR OF THE 33^RD PSALM IS SAYING: GOD IS IN CONTROL; GOD IS THE ULTIMATE AUTHORITY; OUR FIRST AND FOREMOST ALLEGIANCE IS TO THE GOD OF ALL PEOPLE; TO THE GOD OF ALL CREATION.

THE PSALMIST OFFERS SOME VERY CLEAR INSIGHTS ABOUT THE LIMITATIONS OF HUMANITY – OF HUMANITY’S STRENGTH, UNDERSTANDING, AND RESOLVE.

THE PSALMIST UNDERSTANDS THAT OUR GREATEST PLANS, OUR BEST EFFORTS, AND CERTAINLY OUR WORST ONES, CANNOT STAND UP TO THE PLANS OF ALMIGHTY GOD.

IT IS NOT OUR WORDS, NOT OUR DEEDS, NOT OUR POWER AND MIGHT, NOT EVEN OUR “ARMIES AND WAR HORSES” THAT WILL ULTIMATELY PREVAIL; SAVING US;

BUT THE LORD GOD ALONE WHO WILL PREVAIL, AND SAVE US.

“OUR SOULS WAIT,” THE PSALMIST WRITES, “OUR HEARTS ARE GLAD,” “OUR HOPE, OUR HELP, OUR SHIELD, IS THE LOVE OF GOD,” THE PSALMIST CONTINUES.

BUT IT IS THE WORDS WITH WHICH THE PSALMIST BEGINS, THAT PRESENT THE CLEAREST PICTURE FOR US AS BELIEVERS, AND AS CITIZENS, TODAY:

“HAPPY IS THE NATION WHOSE GOD IS LORD…”

ON THIS 4^TH OF JULY, IN AN ELECTION YEAR, WE, AS CITIZENS OF THIS NATION, AND AS FELLOW CITIZENS OF THE NATIONS OF THE WORLD, WE MAY BE DIVIDED IN HOW WE THINK, AND SPEAK, AND ACT, AND VOTE;

BUT AS CHRISTIANS, AS FELLOW BELIEVERS IN GOD, WITH OTHER BELIEVERS IN GOD, SOME WHO SHARE OUR BELIEFS, AND OTHERS WHO BELIEVE DIFFERENTLY, WE CAN BE UNITED IN THE IDEA THAT IT IS ONLY:

IN GOD WE TRUST.