Record Heat, Lack of Power, Preparation for War, and Happy Birthday America!

The thermostat has definitely been turned up in most parts of our country.  Triple digits - if not in actual air temperatures, then in the heat index readings - dot the landscape from America's southwest into the East Coast.  Record heat blankets nearly two-thirds of the nation.  Compounded with fierce storms that knocked the power out for many cities, especially along the East Coast, the misery index is at an all time high. 

When the pictures are seen of what happened in Washington DC when the power went out - and that for an extended period of time - one begins to understand the magnitude of what could happen if one of the electrical grids that feed power to our nation was to suddenly go down - not just for a few days, but for months.  How would we survive?  It seems we could live without a lot of things, but electricity has become one of those staples for living that we overly depend upon.  Without electricity, how would we fill our cars with gasoline?  In fact, how would we drive our cars that are dependent upon electrical configurations to operate?  For many, land line phones have given way to cellular phones, but how effective will those phones be if electricity is out for a prolonged period of time?  So, communications will be more difficult.  Of course, refrigeration will cease.  Foods will spoil.  Bank transactions will have to be made in person as there will be no electronic transfers.  Perhaps there will be a revival in the postal service as we will need to pay bills via check rather than with a few clicks of a mouse.  Without electricity, each one of us will have our lives turned upside down.  If one electrical storm can cause this type of suffering in Washington DC, imagine what an EMP explosion in the atmosphere over America will do.  So, the next time you flick that electrical switch, say a prayer of thanks to God that the current is still flowing.

Now for some other world news headlines.  The New York Times reported yesterday that the United States has deployed warships and aircraft into the Persian Gulf region.  According the article, this is a clear warning to Iran that "the military option is on the table" if Iran should do anything so foolish like to block the straits of Hormuz.  One defense department official was quoted as saying, "Don't even think about closing the strait.  We'll clear the minds.  Don't even think about sending your fast boats out to harass our vessels or commercial shipping.  We'll put them on the bottom of the gulf." 

Also in the news, the Fars News Agency, one of the arms of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, reported on Tuesday that Iran had successfully launched multiple missiles from various places within Iran to a designated hypothetical enemy airbase target.  Brigadier General Amir Ali Hajizadeh said, "Long, medium and short-ranged surface-to-surface missiles will be fired from different locations in Iran...at replica airbases like those used by the trans-regional military forces."  The threat is aimed at those US airbases in Afghanistan, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia - Iranian targets should a joint US-Israeli air strike be carried out against Iran. 

One final headline - one that received little emphasis in the American press, but does have great ramifications for Palestinian efforts toward being recognized as a state without going through the dialogue process.  Over the weekend, UNESCO declared that the Church of the Nativity be declared a Palestinian Authority heritage site.  What this declaration does is to give legitimacy to the PA because world heritage sites can only be designated in recognized states. 

Tomorrow is America's 236th birthday.  Americans will find a variety of ways to celebrate.  Some will gather for a family outing to the lake - on a hot day, being in the water will sound great.  Others will attend patriotic concerts and parades.  One can hear those stirring strains of "America the Beautiful" and "Stars and Stripes Forever."  Then there will be the fireworks displays that will announce to a watching world that America is still the land of the free and the home of the brave. 

I close today with a verse from Psalm 20 - "Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God" (Psalm 20:7).  We still engrave on our coins and print on our paper currency these words, "In God We Trust."  It is time that America begin to act upon what is puts on its coins.  It is time for us as Christians and as Americans to lead the way back to God.  If we truly seek Him, He will be found. 

I wish you a joyous Fourth of July.