Holding Up Our Land - A Call to Conscience and Compassion
Happy Son-Day!!!
Richfield Run
Holding Up Our Land - A Call to Conscience and Compassion
From California to the New York Island
From the redwood forest to the Gulf Stream waters
This land was made for you and me
I saw above me that endless skyway
I saw below me that golden valley
This land was made for you and me
Woody Guthrie wrote this song in 1940, during the Great Depression and Dust Bowl era. It was a direct response to Irving Berlin’s “God Bless America,” which Guthrie felt painted an overly idealistic and unrealistic picture of the country—one that ignored the suffering of the working class and the poor.
In the 1960s, This Land Is Your Land became an anthem for a more just, compassionate, and equitable America. Its message still resonates today.
A Nation in Need
I’m writing this to encourage all of us, family, friends, neighbors, to hold up our land in prayer. Regardless of political affiliation, it is unconscionable that 42 million people are currently without the food support they need, with no clear timeline for relief.
We often hear that we live in the greatest country in the world. Yet, how can that be true when so many are fending off hunger?
There should have been a contingency plan in place to protect the most vulnerable in the event of a government shutdown. The dinner table should never be a pawn in political games.
A Call to Action and Prayer
I’m praying that we come to our senses as a nation—and that solutions to the food support crisis are found quickly and compassionately. Scripture is clear about our responsibility:
Matthew 25:35–40 (NIV)
“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink... Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”
Isaiah 58:6–7 (NIV)
“Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen... Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter?”
Deuteronomy 15:11 (NIV)
“There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your fellow Israelites who are poor and needy in your land.”
These verses remind us that true worship is more than song and ceremony, it’s about caring for the hungry, the homeless, and the hurting.
Let’s be the hands and feet of compassion. Let’s pray, speak up, and act.
Song of the Week -
Verse 1:
Thankful for your sunshine
Shining on me, so everyone can see
That you’ve been a good God, made a way for me
Thankful for your sunshine
Never wear a frown, long as you’re around
I know you’re a good God, never let me down
Thankful for your sunshine
Verse 2:
I know when clouds get low, and it seems the sun won’t show
Don’t ever stop, keep on going
You’re gonna make it, just keep growing
One thing I know for sure, you’re His child and you’re adored
Whatever you do, keep on moving
Look to the sun, and keep going on
Bridge:
Ooh, oh He’s got a plan for you
Say one little prayer and He moves
Yeah, glad He gave all He could give, so we could live
And I’m...
Chorus (Repeat):
Thankful for your sunshine
Shining on me, so everyone can see
That you’ve been a good God, made a way for me
Thankful for your sunshine
Never wear a frown, long as you’re around
I know you’re a good God, never let me down
Thankful for your sunshine
Verse 3:
The love of the Father keeps on going
It never dies, it just keeps showing
Every day, new every morning
Lasts forever, you gotta know it
So, wave your cares goodbye
All your worries, lay them aside
No more clouds, the rain is gone
No more fear, the sun is here
Outro:
Shine on, shine on, shine on, shine on me
Shine on, shine on, shine on, shine on me
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