A Closer Walk

On October 3, 1789, then President George Washington, at the request of Congress, issued a Thanksgiving Proclamation. This is the third and last paragraph.
"'and also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech him to pardon our national and other transgressions--to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually--to render our national government a blessing to all the people, by constantly being a government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed--to protect and guide all Sovereign Nations (especially such as have shewn kindness unto us) and to bless them with good government, peace, and concord--To promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the encrease of science among them and us--and generally to grant unto all Mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as he alone knows to be best. Given under my hand at the city of New--York the third day of October in the year of our Lord 1789.' Go: Washington." I would encourage you to read the entire Proclamation. It can be found on the internet: search for george washington thanksgiving proclamation.
A few thoughts. All the things President Washington said in the first two paragraphs were great and certainly worth reading. But in this third paragraph we are directed to "...unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations..." As believers who else would we go to? The ruler of China? The Queen of England? How about some of the pagan gods of the Old Testament? Baal? Molech? Chemosh? Of course not! We go to the only True and Living God, the Lord God Almighty.
Why does Mr. Washington say we should go before the Lord? To "...beseech him to pardon our national and other transgressions..." The dictionary defines transgression as, “an act that goes against a law, rule, or code of conduct.” So we should beseech our God to pardon our national and other (state, local, personal?) transgressions. His use of the word pardon is interesting. To receive a pardon one must have broken the law, been tried in a court of law, been convicted of the crime, and then received a punishment for that crime. Then a person in authority such as a governor or a president can pardon the one convicted and punished. President Washington knew what we know. “For all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God,” Romans 3:23 NKJV. We all transgress. And in this Proclamation our first President states that nations also transgress. So we beseech the Lord God to pardon both our own transgressions and the transgressions of our beloved country.
We are also asked to pray for other countries that they might have good governments, peace, and concord (dictionary defines concord as, “a state of agreement; harmony). And we are to pray that the Lord and Ruler of all nations will generally grant unto all Mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity that our God alone knows to be best.“Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people He has chosen for His own inheritance,” Psalm 33:12 NKJV.
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My beloved and I hope you and your families have a blessed and wonderful Thanksgiving weekend.“The Lord bless thee, and keep thee: The Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace,” Numbers 6:24-26 KJV.