She firmly held a flaming torch. I could not see her face. Her head was hidden in a low cloud cover. But she had lowered her arm so the light would still shine.

I saw this image of the Statue of Liberty during a prayer time. A small group of my friends had gathered to ask God for encouragement, instruction or discernment. We spent time listening for single words, phrases, a symbolic picture, an impression, a Scripture brought to remembrance…there are many ways that God speaks.

Seeing the iconic effigy of freedom that way was curious. I pondered it for a while. Her head could symbolize our human minds—even our best thinking can get clouded. But her torch, the divine spark of freedom and equality, had not gone out though our country is experiencing difficult times.

Bono of U2 admonished students at Georgetown University to keep faith with the idea of America…“One of the greatest ideas of human history, right up there with the Renaissance. Right up there with crop rotation or the Beatles’ White Album.” He wasn’t really joking. He spoke reverently about the idea of equality, justice, the pursuit of happiness, and dignity. “This country,” he said, “was the first to claw its way out of darkness and put that on paper.” And I believe it was a God-given idea.

There is no other explanation.

So why would God show me an altered image of the Statue of Liberty compared to its present victorious stance on Ellis Island? Continue reading