After fleeing communist Poland to make a new beginning in America, an immigrant named Janina Atkins wrote to the New York Times: “I came to this country with $2.60 in my purse, some clothes, a few books, a bundled of old letters,” she wrote. “There is something in the air of American that filled my soul with a feeling of independence, and independence begot strength.”

Thus says the Lord of hosts, Render true judgments, show kindness and mercy to one another, do not oppress the widow, the fatherless, the sojourner, or the poor.

Zechariah 7:9-10

She continued, “I love America because I do not have to stand in line for hours to buy a piece of tough, fat meat…or pay a day’s earnings for a small chicken. There is no one here to lead you by the hand, but also no one to order you about…what luck and joy it is to live in a free country.”

Today, take a break from all the bad news and critics to thank God for the wonderful place He has allowed you to live. America has problems, yes, but it is also a country which has worked to fulfill the Lord’s command in today’s scripture, perhaps more than any other nation in history.

Recommended Reading: Psalm 33:1-12