Abraham Lincoln's Daily Treasure Quotes

“Week 24 Day 4 Give a Second Chance Thou, which hast shewed me great and sore troubles, shalt quicken me again, and shalt bring me up again from the depths of the earth. Psalm 71:20 From every piercing sorrow That heaves our breast to-day, Or threatens us to-morrow, Hope turns our eyes away; On wings of faith ascending, We see the land of light, And feel our sorrows ending In infinite delight. Given the responsibility to decide the fate of a court-martialed soldier, would you be willing to give a second chance? As commander in chief, Lincoln was ultimately the one to decide whether or not a young soldier would live or die. Often the convicted soldier would not be much older than a child, not even eighteen years old. At the behest of some of his generals, Lincoln stood firm in his desire to give the younger men a second chance. “I am unwilling for any boy under eighteen to be shot,” he demanded. These young men, according to Lincoln, deserved to learn a lesson by which to live, not die. Many of them ultimately became good husbands and fathers, and some of them even became great military leaders. Lincoln’s forgiving attitude gave them the chance to begin again. Do you help other people start over, or are you eager to put an end to them?”
― Thomas Freiling, Abraham Lincoln's Daily Treasure: Moments of Faith with America's Favorite President—Devotional Readings with Insights of Wisdom and Courage from US President Abraham Lincoln

“Lincoln was sure God was on his side. His confidence in the righteousness of his case was unshakable. What he worried about was whether he was on God’s side. He worried that his integrity, diligence in prayer, and character weren’t worthy of God’s holiness. “I am not at all concerned that the Lord is on the North’s side in the war, for I know the Lord is always on the side of the right. But it is my constant anxiety and prayer that I and this nation should be on the Lord’s side,” he said. Lincoln recognized the awesome responsibility of being used by God, and he feared not living up to the responsibility. Are you on God’s side? If you believe God is on your side, make sure you’re on his.”
― Thomas Freiling, Abraham Lincoln's Daily Treasure: Moments of Faith with America's Favorite President—Devotional Readings with Insights of Wisdom and Courage from US President Abraham Lincoln