Is the Lord Still With Us?

Jul 7, 2024  •  The Rev. William Stokes

Benjamin Franklin's warning, "a republic, if you can keep it," opens a reading of 2 Samuel 5, where David begins his reign with a united people, a shepherd's mandate and a new capital in Jerusalem. From that high point Israel's story bends toward decline, raising a question for an anxious nation: is the Lord still with us? The answer rests in Immanuel, who keeps his people, and in reliance on God rather than might.