"America, America, God shed His grace on thee...."
America. As the images of my country flash through my mind, it's hard for me to look past the current state that I see America in at this hour. Too far back in the history books are the records of the Pilgrims and the deep religious values, standards and Godly way of life that they brought to this great country. What the Puritans believed in and sought after for their country and family is replaced with broken homes, divorce, immoral lifestyles and a nation trying to please itself instead of a hunger and thirst for God.
If I look close enough, I might still see a glimpse of the amber waves of grain, the sea to shining sea and the freedom this country offers and that countless continue to fight for today. I can calmly rest in the warmth and comfort that living in a free nation affords. I still feel gratitude for the men and women who die fighting to keep this country alive and vibrant and offering hope for the less fortunate. I do love this country that I believe God really did have a plan for.
I wonder though how long it will last. It seems we are breaking the standard of relying on God to get us through.
Our nation is in the midst of deep political, spiritual and physical change. The roots that we established as a free nation, one under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all is not so much under God any more. A recent survey from the Pew Research Center pointed out that 70%, including the majority of Christians, believe that "many religions can lead to eternal life." If we were a nation that truly knew the Word of God then we would know John 14:6 which says "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through me." There is only one way. It's not by Oprah's cultural agenda, it's not by Catholicism, Hinduism, Mormonism or Buddhism. It's only by Jesus Christ.
Because of our desire to embrace other cultures and beliefs and intertwine them with our own we have become a very tolerant nation. Too tolerant of the beliefs that however one chooses to get "to God" must be the right path. We believe Oprah when she says that all paths lead to God. We search for the meaning of life in nature, in the stars, and even on Mars, but we neglect the one true manuscript that dictates our purpose and our direction for this life. We put the Bible on a shelf and let others read us a few verses from it a week. We rationalize that Christianity is burdensome, hypocritical, judgmental and weak so therefore we should embrace other religions so that we keep an "open mind". We cling to anything that will let us continue to live comfortably in our own sin. We scrutinize others actions with disdain but refuse to look upon our inward heart and our own wretchedness.
Has God's grace begun to lift from this nation? The book The Light and the Glory** (Peter Marshall, David Manuel) is an excellent review of the nation's history from God's point of view.
"America, America, God shed His grace on thee...From the very beginning, God did abundantly answer this nineteenth-century prayer we have sung so often. And there is really no way to measure how much the grace which God has poured out on this nation is a direct result of the obedience and sacrifice of those first Franciscan and Dominican missionaries, the Jesuit martyrs, and the earliest generation of nameless Americans who chose the Covenant Way.
Yet even as His grace continued, our hearts grew harder, to the point where we took it so much for granted that we made a joke of it, 'God looks after fools, drunks, and the United States.' In the face of such callous indifference, God could not bless us indefinitely, and now the grace has begun to lift."
As the book alludes to as well, perhaps even social indicators such as the descent of morality, the destruction of the American family, the rebelliousness of our teenagers and high-pregnancy rates are evidence enough to the lifting of God's grace. Even natural disasters seem to be the norm as we watch the fires burn in California, the catastrophic earthquakes and flooding, and the strain upon our nations food and gas supply. Even terrorist attacks perhaps can be attributed to the lifting of God's grace on this nation.
I shudder to see our nation turn even more away from the way of the Lord that our forefathers held so dear. The authors in the book note this,
"For a whole nation to return to the Covenant Way seems impossible. But it is not impossible; it has been done before. And we have the biblical example of Nineveh to prove it....We are not saying that America is at the Nineveh-point--yet. Indeed, our demise could well be a more gradual, drawn-out affair, to allow us as much time as possible to repent. If God continues to lift His grace as He has begun to, it will not be long before we will be in a hell very much of our own making. But whether the end comes with a bang or a whimper, we are nearly at our national Point of No Return, beyond which it will be too late for America to turn back.
Yet such is God's mercy, that He does not even require the whole nation to repent. It is enough if only the Christians, those who truly know Him, will do this. He told us as much in 2 Chronicles 7:14: If my people, who are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land."
I want that for America. I want us as a nation to fall on our face before God and repent of our wicked ways. I want us to surrender ourselves to the will of God and our commitment to bringing the truth of the gospel to the many ears that are headed for destruction. I want to be a servant and guide to those in this nation who are lost, including those who call themselves children of God. I want God to heal this land...to heal those who are not turning from their wicked ways in which the end will be destruction.
Pray with me for God's grace to continue upon this great nation. Pray that His mercy will be steadfast and that more hearts will open to His call.
Help us Father to be light bearers to the people of this land. Burden us with sorrow that moves us to action for this nation.
(**I read The Light and the Glory more than 15 years ago and it made a huge impression on me. I encourage everyone to read it.)
My country tis of thee,
Sweet land of liberty,
Of thee I sing.
Land where my fathers died!
Land of the Pilgrim's pride!
From every mountain side,
Let freedom ring!
My native country, thee,
Land of the noble free,
Thy name I love.
I love thy rocks and rills,
Thy woods and templed hills;
My heart with rapture fills
Like that above.
Let music swell the breeze,
And ring from all the trees
Sweet freedom's song.
Let mortal tongues awake;
Let all that breathe partake;
Let rocks their silence break,
The sound prolong.
Our father's God to, Thee,
Author of liberty,
To Thee we sing.
Long may our land be bright
With freedom's holy light;
Protect us by Thy might,
Great God, our King!
