Pt.2 National Rededications Gone Wrong

Preface: Many Christians in the United States are looking forward to "Rededicate 250," a spiritual rededication ceremony to be held in Washington, D.C., on May 17, 2026. The involvement of the White House and members of Congress has drawn significant political commentary. I am not writing this as a member of any political party. In all the commentary chaos, Heaven's perspective often ends up underrepresented, so I am writing from what we know of Heaven's perspective on reconciliation. Some Christians are willing to approach "Rededicate 250" with blind optimism, and others with blind cynicism. I do not yet know how I feel about "Rededicate 250," as many of the most important questions remain unanswered. I do not wish failure on the event. I attended 07/07/07 in Nashville, "TheCall DC" in August 2008, among other similar events. I hope "Rededicate 250" succeeds. So far, I have yet to hear anyone involved in "Rededicate 250" articulate the biblical conditions for the event's success. So let's look at a historical example where national rededication went wrong.

What Makes For Peace

The Hebrew word for "peace" represents more than the absence of conflict. Peace is wholeness, reconciliation, and fulfillment. Yet, when Jesus finally arrived in Jerusalem shortly before his betrayal, he spoke this lament over the nation's leadership.

And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it, saying, “Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes." - Luke 19:41-42

True peace is only made through right relationship with Jesus. Broken relationship with Jesus breaks peace. Jerusalem's leaders didn't submit to their Messiah; they opposed him, and their peace was broken. James goes on to describe the type of leadership that broke Israel's peace.

But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. - James 3:14-16

Leadership motivated by selfish ambition and self-reliance is peace-breaking. When the leaders of a nation claim allegiance to God yet behave inconsistently, that spiritual dissonance prevents true peace. God does not accept performative dedications of insincere leaders. Thankfully, James also describes the kind of leadership that makes peace.

But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. - James 3:17-18

Authentic national rededication must begin in the personal lives of the nation's leaders. The sincerity of a nation's leaders is reflected in their behavior. Is their behavior characterized by the wisdom from above or below? If the leaders of a nation want to make true peace, they can only do so with wisdom that comes from a life of relationship with Jesus. True peace requires a kind of self-humiliation and continual dependence on God that is all too rare among national leaders throughout history. Jesus did more than teach us how to make peace; he did it.

Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. - Philippians 2:3-11

I pray that "Rededicate 250" will be characterized by wisdom from above, that our nation's leaders will follow Jesus' example and empty themselves of selfish ambition, and that our nation's leaders will learn what makes for true peace. More thoughts to come.