One Reason Why We Don't Speak French

'This is what the Lord says—the Lord who made the earth, who formed and established it, whose name is the Lord: Ask me and I will tell you remarkable secrets you do not know about things to come.' Jeremiah 33:2-3 (NLT)

Who do we call when we need advice about the future? Where do we go? When things seem to get a bit out of order and way beyond our control, we pray. This is how prayer has sustained the Republic.This is why we pray for our great country. This is why we believe America to be special enough to defend and to pray for. America was built on miracles. One such miracle happened in 1746 when a call for prayer went out and God shielded New England from a naval attack. 

Dismayed by the reports he had been hearing, Massachusetts Governor William Shirley declared a Day of Prayer and Fasting on October 16, 1746. It had been reported that French Admiral d'Anville was sailing right for them with evil intent in his heart. The admiral sailed for New England in command of the most powerful naval fleet of the time - 70 ships with 13,000 troops. His intent was to recapture Louisburg, Nova Scotia and to destroy everything from Boston to New York and all the way to Georgia. His promise was 'by cross and crown' to ravage helpless Boston with fire and with steel. The cry went out 'Let us pray!' Things were looking very bleak for the people along the coast indeed.

By grace went the early colonial Americans and with God on their side. In Boston's Old South Meeting House the pews were full as Reverend Thomas Prince prayed this prayer; "Send Thy tempest, Lord, upon the water...scatter the ships of our tormentors!" As he finished praying the sky darkened, winds shrieked and the church bell rang 'a wild, uneven sound...though no man was in the steeple.' A storm like no other! Just know there was not a skeptic among the people in the church that day for they knew it was a sign that God had heard their prayers.

A hurricane force wind sank and scattered the entire French fleet. Their casualties included 4,000 sick and 2,000 dead men, including the Admiral. The French Vice-Admiral d-Estournelle threw himself on his sword. The threat was real on that day. The threat was real and included everyone that lived along the coast from New York, Baltimore, Boston, Philadelphia, Charleston and beyond. They had never faced such a huge threat as this one was before. They could have been shelled to rubble under the fire of the French's 800 canons. There could have been a great loss of life. 

How could they defend their families and their homes against such an attack as this? Even though, all seemed lost and hopeless to them, the governor knew he had to be prepared for the fight that appeared they could not win in the natural. He put out the call for men to gather as they prepared for the battle. He knew they needed help from Almighty God in order to win against odds so great. The prayers went up and God came down in the form of wind and rain. Remarkable.

Even though we face times when we are under threat and attack from without and within, we are reminded of God's great power to change things. History reveals many things to us, and can bring us comfort and hope, especially, when we are outnumbered and cannot see a way out of our situation. We are reminded to pray. Our God is greater than our current situation. He can defend us from our enemy, even when we are outnumbered when we pray the prayer of faith. He fights our battles and we win them without even one casualty. The faith of those Puritans during that time increased! To God be the Glory. The victory was His. The victory is ours.