The
final draft of the Emancipation Proclamation was taken to Abraham Lincoln at
noon on January 1, 1863. Twice the president picked up his pen to sign it, and
twice he laid it down. Turning to Secretary of State William Seward, he said,
"I have been shaking hands since 9:00 this morning, and my right arm is
almost paralyzed. If my name ever goes into history, it will be for this act,
and my whole soul is in it. If my hand trembles when I sign the proclamation,
all who examine the document hereafter will say, 'He hesitated.'"
The
president then took up the pen again and slowly but firmly wrote, "Abraham
Lincoln." That historic act endeared Lincoln to the world as the Great
Emancipator.
Today,
ask yourself: Who or what is my “Great Emancipator”? Where is my focus? Is it
money? Power? Prestige? Entertainment? Work? Or the One whose death and
resurrection gave us our freedom and life?
Far too many people are busy and focused on the many aspects of life. It
is no wonder that people have difficulty seeing God at work on earth and in the
midst of difficult situations when they are focused on so many other things.
So
where is your heart? What are you focused on? Who is your “Great Emancipator”?
