The Fiat of the Almighty

As our nation marks its 250th anniversary this week, I’ve found myself returning to the words of Frederick Douglass, one of the most courageous and compelling figures in American history:

“I do not despair for this country. The fiat of the Almighty—let there be light—has not yet been spent.”

Think about that.

God’s fiat—His sovereign decree, “Let there be light”—has not yet exhausted its power. The words that pierced the darkness and chaos of Genesis 1 still carry life because they came from the eternal God.

Douglass understood this. As an escaped slave who became a gifted orator, abolitionist, and preacher, he knew what it was to look into overwhelming darkness without surrendering hope. He believed that God’s decree still had the power to bring light where darkness seemed to prevail.

Let’s believe that today.

There are still places of darkness that need God’s light. There are still hearts that need hope. There are still lives waiting to be changed.

May we become echoes of God’s voice, speaking His truth with faith and courage wherever He sends us.

The fiat of the Almighty has not yet been spent.

And because it has not, neither has our reason for hope.