Nation Building
Journal 2006 08 16
Nation Building
“a cool morning. Sent up Sergt. Pryor to the mandan village, for Some Corn which they offered to give us. he informed that they had more Corn collected for us than our Canoes Could Carry Six loads of which he brought down. I thanked the Chief for his kindness and informed him that our Canoes would not Carry any more Corn than we had already brought down.” The friendship and goodwill the Corps of Discovery established over their winter of 1804 with the Mandans is illustrated here in the abundant blessing that Big Cat and his tribe poured out upon these men. This group of white men had traveled to “The Great Lake” of the sunset and returned. Big Cat was fearful of going east through Sioux lands. Isn’t that the difference between fear and faith? Faith moves out while fear sits still.
“at 10 A. M the Chiefs of the different villages came to See us and Smoke a pipe &c. as our Swivel Could no longer be Serveceabe to us as it could not be fireed on board the largest Perogue, we Concluded to make a present of it to the Great Chief of the Menetaras (the One Eye) with a view to ingratiate him more Strongly in our favour I had the Swivel Charged and Collected the Chiefs in a circle around it and adressed them with great ceremoney.” I believe what Captain Clark was saying here is that because they would be carrying so much cargo through mostly friendly lands they could do without the swivel gun mounted to the bow of the peroque. So he gives it, ball and powder to the Great Chief, One Eye as a demonstration of trust and goodwill forming an early military and national alliance.
One Eye responds, “We will attend to your word and not hurt any people all Shall be Welcom and we Shall do as you direct—.["] The One Eye Said his ears would always be open to the word of his great father and Shut against bad Council &c. I then a good deel of Ceremony made a preasent of the Swivel to the One Eye Chief and told him when he fired this gun to remember the words of his great father which we had given him. this gun had anounced the words of his great father to all the nations which we had Seen &c. &c. after the council was over the gun was fired & delivered, they Chief appeared to be much pelased and conveyed it immediately to his village &c. Chief Big White agrees to go if his wife and children can accompany him. The Captains agree to the terms.
Westward expansion was called many things. It was correctly identified as “Manifest Destiny” in my opinion. Can you see its early roots here? The western world brought much of what the tribal leaders desired; the ability to defend themselves and make war when necessary that their people may live better lives. Clark was admonishing them to peace. He chastised them for making war within days of his leaving.
If you identify yourself as a follower of Jesus Christ you have been given A Manifest Destiny. A destiny where your work brings blessing to individuals and nations. Your work will be rewarded. “Give, and it shall be given to you, good measure pressed down and shaken together and running over, they shall give into your bosom. For with the same measure that you measure, it shall be measured to you again.” (Luke 6:38 MKJV)
You know, like William Clark, that you and your family will need corn on your trip in this world. Like Lewis and Clark you plan to bring horses to trade. Those are stolen. So you gather hides. But you cannot gather all you hoped for. You keep moving downstream anyway. And when you arrive you are blessed by the same measure you measured out with. You have more corn than you can carry. Abundant living through giving and receiving.
Westward expansion in the United States was called Manifest Destiny. Heavenward expansion in the Kingdom of God is called the Great Commission. Unlike Manifest Destiny the Great Commission continues.
Many books have been written regarding the Great Commission. I’m not writing one here today. What I’m hoping to do is point to a real world illustration that nations are intended to rule other nations. Most rule by strength. The strength and abundance of the United States was manifested in the journey of the Corps of Discovery. It was given generously throughout the journey and here we see the planting of those early seeds bearing fruit. I believe it was the strength, abundance and generosity that captured the attention of these tribal chiefs and the nations they ruled.
Can we present the Kingdom of God in a manner where its inherent strength, abundance and generosity bear fruit as light pushes out darkness and rules the day? The message of the Kingdom of God is the Manifest Destiny of our day. Are we willing to go in faith like the Corps of Discovery or will we sit in fear like the Mandan chiefs? As was God’s original intention through Adam to rule so it is our directive to so submit ourselves to Christ’s rule that we are able to govern nations as Christ Himself would. Eternal nation building that fulfills His Manifest Destiny for His Kingdom.
Proceed on.
Nation Building
“a cool morning. Sent up Sergt. Pryor to the mandan village, for Some Corn which they offered to give us. he informed that they had more Corn collected for us than our Canoes Could Carry Six loads of which he brought down. I thanked the Chief for his kindness and informed him that our Canoes would not Carry any more Corn than we had already brought down.” The friendship and goodwill the Corps of Discovery established over their winter of 1804 with the Mandans is illustrated here in the abundant blessing that Big Cat and his tribe poured out upon these men. This group of white men had traveled to “The Great Lake” of the sunset and returned. Big Cat was fearful of going east through Sioux lands. Isn’t that the difference between fear and faith? Faith moves out while fear sits still.
“at 10 A. M the Chiefs of the different villages came to See us and Smoke a pipe &c. as our Swivel Could no longer be Serveceabe to us as it could not be fireed on board the largest Perogue, we Concluded to make a present of it to the Great Chief of the Menetaras (the One Eye) with a view to ingratiate him more Strongly in our favour I had the Swivel Charged and Collected the Chiefs in a circle around it and adressed them with great ceremoney.” I believe what Captain Clark was saying here is that because they would be carrying so much cargo through mostly friendly lands they could do without the swivel gun mounted to the bow of the peroque. So he gives it, ball and powder to the Great Chief, One Eye as a demonstration of trust and goodwill forming an early military and national alliance.
One Eye responds, “We will attend to your word and not hurt any people all Shall be Welcom and we Shall do as you direct—.["] The One Eye Said his ears would always be open to the word of his great father and Shut against bad Council &c. I then a good deel of Ceremony made a preasent of the Swivel to the One Eye Chief and told him when he fired this gun to remember the words of his great father which we had given him. this gun had anounced the words of his great father to all the nations which we had Seen &c. &c. after the council was over the gun was fired & delivered, they Chief appeared to be much pelased and conveyed it immediately to his village &c. Chief Big White agrees to go if his wife and children can accompany him. The Captains agree to the terms.
Westward expansion was called many things. It was correctly identified as “Manifest Destiny” in my opinion. Can you see its early roots here? The western world brought much of what the tribal leaders desired; the ability to defend themselves and make war when necessary that their people may live better lives. Clark was admonishing them to peace. He chastised them for making war within days of his leaving.
If you identify yourself as a follower of Jesus Christ you have been given A Manifest Destiny. A destiny where your work brings blessing to individuals and nations. Your work will be rewarded. “Give, and it shall be given to you, good measure pressed down and shaken together and running over, they shall give into your bosom. For with the same measure that you measure, it shall be measured to you again.” (Luke 6:38 MKJV)
You know, like William Clark, that you and your family will need corn on your trip in this world. Like Lewis and Clark you plan to bring horses to trade. Those are stolen. So you gather hides. But you cannot gather all you hoped for. You keep moving downstream anyway. And when you arrive you are blessed by the same measure you measured out with. You have more corn than you can carry. Abundant living through giving and receiving.
Westward expansion in the United States was called Manifest Destiny. Heavenward expansion in the Kingdom of God is called the Great Commission. Unlike Manifest Destiny the Great Commission continues.
Many books have been written regarding the Great Commission. I’m not writing one here today. What I’m hoping to do is point to a real world illustration that nations are intended to rule other nations. Most rule by strength. The strength and abundance of the United States was manifested in the journey of the Corps of Discovery. It was given generously throughout the journey and here we see the planting of those early seeds bearing fruit. I believe it was the strength, abundance and generosity that captured the attention of these tribal chiefs and the nations they ruled.
Can we present the Kingdom of God in a manner where its inherent strength, abundance and generosity bear fruit as light pushes out darkness and rules the day? The message of the Kingdom of God is the Manifest Destiny of our day. Are we willing to go in faith like the Corps of Discovery or will we sit in fear like the Mandan chiefs? As was God’s original intention through Adam to rule so it is our directive to so submit ourselves to Christ’s rule that we are able to govern nations as Christ Himself would. Eternal nation building that fulfills His Manifest Destiny for His Kingdom.
Proceed on.
posted by @2007 Dick Cinkovich | 4:33 PM
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