Despite the best efforts of modern-day “liberals” (or “progressives” or whatever other branding they apply to themselves), we will always be a country that was formed on Christian principles. The quote above is from our second President, written after he signed the Declaration of Independence. It’s amazing to go through old writings of our founding fathers and find that that yes, without a doubt, this is a nation with a Christian heritage. It doesn’t matter how hard people try to deny it.

That’s why our country is so blessed. That’s why we have such hope, such energy, and such prosperity. It was made evident to me in the presentations given by a bunch of the young ladies in our church who joined a missionary organization on a trip to Poland a couple of weeks ago.

This man (above) became a Christian while in a concentration camp at Auschwitz. He survived and prayed for sixty years that someone would come to his home city in Poland, bearing the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. This year, they came. During their week or so stay, over a hundred thousand copies of John & Romans were handed out, and people were invited to a meeting at the end of the week.

The missionaries, and participants from around the US who had joined them, didn’t know what kind of a response they’d get. Decades of communism kills the spirit of the people; they aren’t like we are here. Tough soil to plow, I guess. But when the night came for the meeting, the auditorium they’d rented was filled to capacity! When the attendees had the opportunity to get a free Bible at the end of the meeting, it was nearly chaos. They were so excited, and so accustomed to having to press the lines to get anything, that they rushed the tables. Everyone got their Bible.

The picture above brings tears to my eyes every time. Despite his age, this man is holding his first Bible. He had never had a Bible before, and he’s kissing the one he just got. Shouldn’t God’s word be that precious to all of us? We’ve got it so good here in America that we lose sight of what we have.

I’ve got my study Bible, one in my truck, one in the trunk of my motorcycle…and I don’t read them nearly enough. Jesus said, “to whom much is given, much is required.” I haven’t lived up to that lately. What it takes is to see what it’s like to have lived one’s entire life without that gift. To see this man’s joy in finally getting a Bible, in his language at that, is very convicting.

We live in a country where we don’t get arrested for having a Bible. If we don’t have the five measly bucks to get one at Wal-Mart, someone will give you one. They’re in the dresser drawers at hotels. Maybe that’s why we don’t spend much time with our nose in that book. Take a few seconds to put yourself in the shoes of these people, who were desperate at the thought that they might not get a Bible that night. Then thank God that you live in a country that was founded on the faith in God, who provides all the many freedoms and blessings our country enjoys today.