Robert Lewis, George Washington's nephew and private secretary, gave the following account of Washington.
I accidentally witnessed Washington’s private devotions in his library, both morning and evening. On these occasions, I saw him in a kneeling posture, with a Bible open before him. I believe such to have been his daily practice.

The people of America trusted George Washington very much. After he had defeated the British at Yorktown, Virginia he was the commander of the only standing army in the United States and many of his admirers were ready to make him king. But George Washington went to congress, resigned his commission in the army and went home to Mount Vernon. He was not, like so many people, hungry for power.

His habits, mentioned above, of daily prayer and devotions, may go a long way in explaining why he was this way. The Bible tells us that God is the maker of all authorities. The Christian is to submit to legitimate authority, because we know that all lawful authority is from the LORD. To seek authority illegally is not just rebellion against man; it is rebellion against God.

Some folks will say that Washington, and the Americans, were rebels toward King George. Doesn't that go against what was just said? The answer is no. Reformed Christians believed that ALL authorities, including kings, are under God's rule, so if the king breaks the law and oppresses the people, the lesser magistrate (a governor, mayor, sheriff, etc.) are to uphold their office and defend the people from the abuse of higher authorities.

Most Americans then had a Calvinistic background and their actions were perfectly in line with what John Calvin had said in his institutes. Calvin wrote: "So far am I from forbidding these officially to check the undue license of kings, that if they connive at kings when they tyrannise and insult over the humbler of the people, I affirm that their dissimulation is not free from nefarious perfidy, because they fraudulently betray the liberty of the people, while knowing that, by the ordinance of God, they are its appointed guardians. "

I don't have time to go into all the details, but that is how the Christian people of America were (IMHO) justly able to fight against their king. They followed men with legitimate authority that were upholding to their offices. Lesser magistrates in America stepped up to protect the people from King George and the British Parliament who they saw as were acting illegally.

Were it not for his submission to these Christian principles George Washington could have made himself king. He controlled the Army and it was very loyal to him, but instead he acted humbly and he lawfully resigned to the then legitimate authority and went home to his farm.

We need leaders and people with the integrity of Washington today. If more Americans had the daily devotional habits of Washington, perhaps God would bless us with leaders like him.

Coram Deo,
Kenith