We Are Endowed By God

Our nation looks to new leadership in Washington with outstretched open hands. Give me is the mandate of the hour.
“Endow” is an interesting word. It is defined as to “provide or supply or equip.” Basically it means to be give something. To be given something there must be a someone by whom it is given.
Our Declaration of Independence notes “all men are created equal, that they are endowed by the Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.”
Unalienable means they can’t be repudiated or taken away. The rights noted as being given to us and not to be taken away are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Those are our birthright given us. For there to be a gift there must be a giver.
The Declaration defines the giver as “the Creator” by Whom “all men are created.” That is rather definitive. This document declared this Creator is the one who gives these rights.
Efforts to exclude Him from the world He created has resulted in the assumption our rights come from government. The consequence of this is a large segment of our population now looks to government for an endowment of their rights.
Jefferson and his ilk believed there were certain immutable rights inherent in life. He believed these rights transcend government and were endowed, given, by the Creator not the government. The responsibility of the government is to secure, protect and defend these rights.
In Jefferson’s first message as President he remarked, “I shall need the favor of that Being in whose hands we are, who led our fathers, as Israel of old….” He continued, “I ask you to join with me in supplications that He will so enlighten the minds of your servants, guide their counsels, and prosper their measures, that whatever they do shall result in our good and shall secure to you the friendship and approbation of all nations.”
Jefferson also piquantly asked, “Can the liberties of a nation, be thought secure, when we have removed their only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of the people that these liberties are the gifts of God? — that they cannot be violated except with his wrath? Indeed, I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just, and that his justice cannot sleep forever.”
Jefferson’s religious beliefs will be debated forever but from these historical statements it can be deduced that he believed in God, that God hears and answers prayer, that He is a benevolent God who gives unalienable rights, that government officials are His “servants,” and that His justice is inevitably enacted.
With our nation concerned with a new governing body in Washington there is expectation mixed with uncertainty. Jefferson’s appeal needs to be responded to by this generation. It is incumbent on the governed to pray for those governing. Pray for the very things Jefferson noted. In doing so we are ultimately looking to the Creator who endows us.
Like all leaders this cadre needs “the favor of that Being in whose hands we are….”