Two Days On The Nation’s Front Lawn

I’m sure you have all seen the pictures of the hundreds of thousands of people who gathered on the National Mall yesterday for the innauguration of the 44th President of the United States, Barack Obama. If not, I’ve included one of the best here.

 I have already heard from friends who were there and tell of an “electric” atmosphere in the crowd. Who wouldn’t be excited to be a part of history! The fact that it happened on the opposite end of the mall from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr’s famous speech a day after the nation honored his birthday cannot be lost. There was plenty of honor to go around. I was surprised by the amount of prayer that was part of the ceremony. Rick Warren and Joseph Lowery didn’t shorten their thoughts at all !   I was even worried that they wouldn’t get the oath done before noon and there would be some sort of Constitutional crisis! Then he messed up the oath and had to re-do it tonight at the White House. I’ve heard that Justice Roberts had the cue card ready this time! It truly was a momentous occasion. But as I sat there looking at the crowd on the Mall my thoughts went back to 1997.   On October4,  men from all over the nation came to the Nation’s front lawn to honor the Lord Jesus Christ.  I was privileged to be the TV and Radio host that day.  When I arrived to prepare for the day at 6:00 am, there were already about 400,000 men there.

 

 Many were already singing and praying. The oaths that day were spoken by many men, not just one. I remember the men taking out a picture of their family and making promises to honor Christ and serve their family. I turned to my son, Joel and said,”As long as you live don’t ever forget what you saw here today”. I’m sure similar things were said yesterday. There are so many hopes for change and renewal that were imbodied by that crowd yesterday. I’m sure they are similar to the hopes of change and renewal we had as over 1 million men gathered that day in 1997.

 

 

Yesterday, we honored a man , a president and a transition. Then,  we honored the man, the King of Kings,and a transformation. Only history will reveal which day on the Mall will change the nation more!