Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord,... Psalms 33:12 The most amazing thing about the American Republic is that it came into existence. Born into a hostile world, brought to birth by a divided band of colonies, facing one of the most powerful nations on earth determined to destroy it, how could it survive? The answer is, the American Republic almost did not survive. The Declaration of Independence, the defeat of the British, the writing and ratification of the Constitution, were all events not likely to have happened without the aid of Divine Providence. This is attested to by the actions and expressions of those involved in these events. The painting of George Washington kneeling in the snow and praying at Valley Forge did not come about as a result of some artist s fancy, but because of the witness of Isaac Potts who, while walking through the woods, accidentally came across Washington praying in a grove of oaks. General Knox, Who was with Washington | at Valley Forge, stated that Washington frequently used the grove for prayer. 56 Chapter 7 The American Republic