It seems to always perplex me; my patriotism and being a Christian, how do these two go together? I surely don't exalt America, for Christ alone is due all my devotion and love. And yet I do love America in a different sense. So without going into a whole lot more, to all who come by, Happy 4th of July!
America (My Country, 'Tis of Thee)
"My country,' tis of thee,
sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing;
land where my fathers died,
land of the pilgrims' pride,
from every mountainside 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 thrills, 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 fathers' 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."- Samuel F. Smith, 1808-1895
7 comments:
dont ya love the flag! there is just something about it
I do like that song.
It is a quandary for me to hold to an Anabaptist position. I take it that we in Jesus are the new Israel scattered throughout the earth. And that in following Jesus we don't take up arms to do what our various governments want us to do.
Of course I could be wrong, but that's what I read out of Scripture. And there is a side of truth brought out in that, I think, even if it is wrong, that we Christians often pay little attention to- just how we are to be the city on a hill as the salt and light in Jesus which we are, as Jesus told/tells us.
I do love Os Guiness' book, "The Case for Civility," along with the Williamsburg Charter, which I refer to on my blog, today. And it did give me a renewed, new appreciation for America!
Happy 4th, and may God have mercy on us as a nation.
'It's a Grand Old Flag' mommanator. Thanks for coming by.
Hey Ted, thanks. I'll have to think about your thoughts; they were some good ones.
Thanks for the visit brother.
If I lived back when Peal Harbor happened, and was of age to enlist, then I'm fairly certain I would have. I'm not really that brave, and I don't really long to kill others. But when an evil nation wants to kill us and harm our women and children, then I'm willing to protect them. I believe there's "a time for war, and a time for peace; a time to love, and a time to hate; and a time to kill, and a time to heal."
Protecting oneself from an enemy is a good thing, and yet we're to understand that only by God's grace we are no longer His enemy, and we are to love our enemies, but not the same love as we love Christ, our wives, children, and the Church.
As an American and a Christian at the same time, it can be difficult to keep my political side seperate from my being a regenerated sinner, who loves Christ, and is sold out for the Gospel first and foremost.
The Lord's is way time first, not America. If I lived in China, and was Chinese, then I man have some affection for my country, and not so much the Tyrant who abuses his calling, and yet it would be very different than being an American Christian.
Well, enough rambling about all that. I can't settle this in my mind and heart as well as I would like. I guess I'll keep praying and reading the Word, and then I understand better bye and bye.
It is difficult, Don.
Thanks.
AT church today we all got down and prayed for our nation! prayer is one thing we American Christians CAN do!
"prayer is one thing we American Christians CAN do!"
Amen sister! And I need to pray more, and not lose heart.
Always great to have you drop by Ted.
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