God Bless America

Posted by PaulQ

Earlier this morning I went to a church where that ever so popular tag line was strewed across a screen in front of the stars and stripes dramatically waving in the wind. The image was meant to stir up a sense of belonging, remembrance and pride in out country. I'm sure it did. But something felt strange because directly next to the flag lay a cross.

This blogs purpose isn't to convince you to disown America and become a Communist. I don't not love my country, but when the love of a country becomes synonymous with the act of following Christ I believe there is a major disconnect. When the flag begins to fly higher than the cross there is a problem. Shane Claiborne writes in his book The Irresistible Revolution

My heart sank as I walked into the foyer and noticed something I had never seen before: the American flag standing prominently in front of the auditorium. And never before was I so heartbroken that the cross was missing...It is a dangerous day when we can take the cross out of the church more easily then the flag. No wonder it is hard for seekers to find God nowadays. It's difficult to know where Christianity ends and America begins. Our money says, "In God We Trust." God's name is on America's money, and America's flag is on God's Altars.

God has blessed America. I am remembered of that everyday that I get in my car to go to the grocery store that has seemingly endless supplies of food to put in my refrigerator that will hold more than I can eat in two weeks. When we put a bumper sticker proclaiming that God needs to bless our country we are essentially spitting on everything he has already done and forgetting God's children in other countries that are suffering endless amounts. So today I ask that you ask God to bless everyone.