Deuteronomy 6:6-9 — And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.

Myra and I have been away for a week in Winter Garden, near Orlando. It was a delightful time, but perhaps the most encouraging thing was what we discovered as we drove back through the heartland of South Florida. 

It’s easy to be convinced, bludgeoned by mass media, that Christianity is dead and belief is foolish sentimentality. As we drove back we stopped in a small town — a “Main Street America” town committed to protecting its heritage and faith.

The first clue to the sort of place we were in was the way that, when we parked, there were four places of Christian ministry in direct line of sight. 

The second clue was in a small diner where we stopped for a drink. Our coffee came in mugs donated by the local Baptist church. When I went to pay our check there was a pad of “prayer request” forms next to the register. No concern there about political correctness or offending the non-Christian!

The last thing that really struck us about our resting place was the War Memorial. A monument remembering many of America’s war dead — a plaque for each major war, with a count of the dead and missing. And one plaque with no numbers — the cost of the Iraq war is yet to be counted.

It was heartening to be in a small town where the Holy Spirit was clearly active. What was even more encouraging to me was that there was nothing unique about the town we stopped in. In each town we passed through there were churches almost round every corner.

It’s easy to be distracted by anti-Christian propaganda. It’s easy to be fooled into thinking that God, if He isn’t dead, is dying. Taking a trip through the heartland is a powerful reminder that there are people with God’s word in their hearts, making sure their children know what they need to know, taking their faith wherever they go.

Be of good cheer. He is risen, as He said!