Be Patriotic By Following God & His Word
Word-of-the-Day: ‘(12) Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people he chose for his inheritance. (16) No king is saved by the size of his army; no warrior escapes by his great strength. (20) We wait in hope for the LORD; he is our help and our shield. (21) In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. (22) May your unfailing love be with us, LORD, even as we put our hope in you.’ (Psalm 33:12, 16, 20-22)
It is, of course very good to be patriotic to our great nation, the United States of America. We have seen over the years patriotism becoming villainized as something wrong, but as mentioned in yesterday’s Word-of-the-Day, ‘Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.’ (Isaiah 5:20).
Patriotism and support for the good ole’ USA has waned thanks to this villainization, namely seen in our youth, and especially those who see ‘evil’ as good across the societal spectrum. It never ceases to confound my thoughts on citizens born here, and those who emigrated to the US (legally or illegally), and upon arriving, begin to bash the US, its people, its culture, and what it stands for. Having traveled literally around the world, the United States has been blessed in its abundance of wealth and resources and a standard of living most nations will never achieve.
There is no permanent caste system in American society that one must ‘stay in their societal lane’; any individual determined to improve their lot in life can do so by seeking opportunity and taking action on that opportunity with hard work gain success. It is rugged individualism and internal fortitude that provides the obtainment of the ‘American Dream’. When society tries to ‘stack the deck’ on one person’s or one group’s favor, the result usually is a corresponding failure.
The United States, for which it stands, is not just a statement of individual freedom and capitalism’s advantages in individual effort, but of a nation founded by men who had great Faith in the Lord and His provisions. Psalm 33 is a ‘hymn’ style of Psalm; likely written by David. It is a Psalm that one that praises God through a rhythmic form of writing, usually to be placed in song. The first half of this Psalm (33:1-11) is one of praising God for His holiness and His love, while the second half (33:12-22) proclaims God’s hand upon the nation that places God in the forefront and allows God is rightfully spot as leading that nation.
The second half of Psalm 33 provides that a nation must hold God in glory in order to be successful and prosperous. It is good to be patriotic, but to be truly patriotic one must also be Godly in Faith to Him and trusting His Word. This is in that vein that the first half of the Psalm ties into the second half, not a separate meaning between praising God’s holiness and then proclaiming God’s guidance of a nation, but combined in acknowledging God’s preeminent role as Creator and Master of all things. It is God’s Glory recognized by the nation’s success.
A nation that truly prospers in God-given freedoms and provisions must hold God in the highest esteem, and worship Him and be humble toward His Gift of Salvation, His son Jesus as our Lord. The nation must acknowledge God’s leadership in the path the nation takes, His protection over it and its people, and all it has and offers is given only by Him and through Him.
Throughout the Old Testament, we read many examples of when Israel and/or Judah, when God was held as their Lord, obeyed and worshipped, prospered and was protected from great harm when God was properly worshipped. When the kings and the nations turned away from God, they suffered from famines, war, heartache, and hardship. When a nation is with God, He lifts that nation up; when a nation turns away from God, He removes His hand and that nation tumbles.
Godly people pray for His protection and provisions upon their nation, their leaders, and their fellow countrymen. We see many who have turned away from God in speech and actions, and thus have also turned away from The United States, their home. The US should never come down to level of other nations, but in God continue to be lifted up and be the ‘beacon on the hill’ for other nations to see and follow. Our founding fathers knew this, and prayerfully we do, too. Be patriotic and proud to be an American, and be Godly and unashamed of Jesus and His Gospel!
