I’ve been back in the US for a little over a week now and it feels different. It’s darker. A bit scarier. People are hurting and they are angry. This time is frustrating and confusing. It’s put neighbors, families, and friends against each other. It’s caused so much darkness, but the thing about darkness is that it makes it so much easier to see the light. This time is and will be a blessing. This will be a season of humbling and learning for the United States. And as Christians, we have a very important job in this time. In Isaiah 58 the Lord tells us exactly what He wants from His people.
6 “Is not this the fast that I choose:
to loose the bonds of wickedness,
to undo the straps of the yoke,
to let the oppressed[b] go free,
and to break every yoke?
7 Is it not to share your bread with the hungry
and bring the homeless poor into your house;
when you see the naked, to cover him,
and not to hide yourself from your own flesh?
8 Then shall your light break forth like the dawn,
and your healing shall spring up speedily;
your righteousness shall go before you;
the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.
9 Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer;
you shall cry, and he will say, ‘Here I am.’
If you take away the yoke from your midst,
the pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness,
10 if you pour yourself out for the hungry
and satisfy the desire of the afflicted,
then shall your light rise in the darkness
and your gloom be as the noonday.
11 And the Lord will guide you continually
and satisfy your desire in scorched places
and make your bones strong;
and you shall be like a watered garden,
like a spring of water,
whose waters do not fail.
12 And your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt;
you shall raise up the foundations of many generations;
you shall be called the repairer of the breach,
the restorer of streets to dwell in.
Our ancient ruins will be rebuilt. We will be made great again, if you will. But most importantly, we will call and the Lord will answer, “Here I am.” The Lord will answer us. It says He will guide us continually and give us our desires. But only if we seek righteousness through justice, generosity, and love. If we speak out of love and do not accept slander (or elect slanderous leaders).
Never in the Bible did God say blessed are the rich. Blessed are the loud. Blessed are the aggressive. Blessed are the firsts. He said the opposite of all these things. The truth is there is more bravery in humbleness than in aggression. There is more power in love than money. There is more freedom in the blood of Christ than the blood of veterans.
I feel we are facing choices today that will display just how far our patriotisms reach. Does our patriotism to the Kingdom far outweigh and extend our patriotism to this worldly nation? If it does then making America great again isn’t really a priority. Not because we do not love our country or the freedoms we have here. But because we love our brothers beside us that are being oppressed more than we love our privileges and our blessings. Because we love our country enough to want to restore her to the Lord and redeem her as did the Israelites with their homeland. Because we love our God who is and will ever be much greater than America.
“God bless America, land that I love. Stand beside her and guide her through (this) night with a light from above.”
