February 2013
God & Country
10 February 2013 @ 11:28
God & Country
A few weeks ago, as I got back into my car after a friend's funeral, I noticed the flag pole at the entrance to the church parking lot. A familiar site, with the American flag flying above the Christian flag, and it just struck me as wrong. Shouldn't the Christian flag be on top; shouldn't that take priority in the life of the church? We hear so much talk about one nation under God yet we fly the flags at our churches as if it is the other way around. Maybe this explains our behavior as 'believers'. I've got so many thoughts on this that I don't even know where to begin but here are a few.
Let me start with the dialogue about the phrase 'one nation under God' currently in our Pledge of Allegiance. Is God only above a nation because they acknowledge Him in their pledge? I have come to know a Sovereign God who is above all of the countries of the world regardless of whether or not they yet realize it. One day every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord and all will realize that their nation was under God. This brings me to the idea of acknowledgment versus action. I've said it before, and I'll say it again, that since that phrase was added to our pledge in 1954, there is very little evidence to show that we have become a more Godly nation. In the words of Forrest Gump, 'that's all I've got to say about that.'
Returning to what started these thoughts, as Christians our pledge should be to Christ alone and that will always create tension with the authorities, both governmental and religious. It may get you killed! When we place our country above Christ we often forget that Christ died for those in all of the other countries in the same way he died for us here in the American church. He did not do what He did for us because we were Americans. He died for us in spite of that fact and His love extends to all of those created in His image. He loves us as we are, in spite of any of the wrongs we have done in this life. That is the Good News that is extended to all peoples, in all lands, and we, as believers, are called to carry that message to the world. We are called to carry it there, not with our judgment and not with our guns, missiles and bombs, but with our lives lived in love. As Christ was willing to die for us, are we willing to die for others? Are we even willing to live for others as we whine about providing health care for those who can't afford it and for those who, in the eyes of many Americans, don't deserve it. Are we willing to make do with less so that those who are hungry might eat; so that those who are naked will be clothed; so that those who are thirsty will be given drink; so that those who are sick, and in prison will be visited? I just don't get it. It seems that we let politics get in the way of just doing what is right.
I am a sinner, saved by grace. I will never fully understand the ways of God for His ways are too great for me to understand. I have made a lot of wrong decisions in this life and God still loves me as I am, not as I should be. Is this not the way we should live our lives? I need to love others as they are. I need to love God with all of my heart, mind and soul and then go and love others as myself. I need to pledge allegiance to this God who loves me in order to truly love my country, and loving my country requires loving all of those within it as well as all of those who live outside its borders.
The love of Christ is crazy! Loving those who will kill you for telling the truth; for being the Truth, just doesn't make sense in a world where we are stuck on loving ourselves. Loving the prodigals who return home; rejoicing over the one lost sheep who is found; forgiving those that nailed you to a cross; such is the foolishness of God.
Well, there I've shared a few of my thoughts. I'm sure these few crazy remarks aren't going to make much of a difference in the way we fly our flags and pledge our allegiance but I do know that I'll be drawn in by my curiosity if I see a church flying the flags in reverse.
A few weeks ago, as I got back into my car after a friend's funeral, I noticed the flag pole at the entrance to the church parking lot. A familiar site, with the American flag flying above the Christian flag, and it just struck me as wrong. Shouldn't the Christian flag be on top; shouldn't that take priority in the life of the church? We hear so much talk about one nation under God yet we fly the flags at our churches as if it is the other way around. Maybe this explains our behavior as 'believers'. I've got so many thoughts on this that I don't even know where to begin but here are a few.
Let me start with the dialogue about the phrase 'one nation under God' currently in our Pledge of Allegiance. Is God only above a nation because they acknowledge Him in their pledge? I have come to know a Sovereign God who is above all of the countries of the world regardless of whether or not they yet realize it. One day every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord and all will realize that their nation was under God. This brings me to the idea of acknowledgment versus action. I've said it before, and I'll say it again, that since that phrase was added to our pledge in 1954, there is very little evidence to show that we have become a more Godly nation. In the words of Forrest Gump, 'that's all I've got to say about that.'
Returning to what started these thoughts, as Christians our pledge should be to Christ alone and that will always create tension with the authorities, both governmental and religious. It may get you killed! When we place our country above Christ we often forget that Christ died for those in all of the other countries in the same way he died for us here in the American church. He did not do what He did for us because we were Americans. He died for us in spite of that fact and His love extends to all of those created in His image. He loves us as we are, in spite of any of the wrongs we have done in this life. That is the Good News that is extended to all peoples, in all lands, and we, as believers, are called to carry that message to the world. We are called to carry it there, not with our judgment and not with our guns, missiles and bombs, but with our lives lived in love. As Christ was willing to die for us, are we willing to die for others? Are we even willing to live for others as we whine about providing health care for those who can't afford it and for those who, in the eyes of many Americans, don't deserve it. Are we willing to make do with less so that those who are hungry might eat; so that those who are naked will be clothed; so that those who are thirsty will be given drink; so that those who are sick, and in prison will be visited? I just don't get it. It seems that we let politics get in the way of just doing what is right.
I am a sinner, saved by grace. I will never fully understand the ways of God for His ways are too great for me to understand. I have made a lot of wrong decisions in this life and God still loves me as I am, not as I should be. Is this not the way we should live our lives? I need to love others as they are. I need to love God with all of my heart, mind and soul and then go and love others as myself. I need to pledge allegiance to this God who loves me in order to truly love my country, and loving my country requires loving all of those within it as well as all of those who live outside its borders.
The love of Christ is crazy! Loving those who will kill you for telling the truth; for being the Truth, just doesn't make sense in a world where we are stuck on loving ourselves. Loving the prodigals who return home; rejoicing over the one lost sheep who is found; forgiving those that nailed you to a cross; such is the foolishness of God.
Well, there I've shared a few of my thoughts. I'm sure these few crazy remarks aren't going to make much of a difference in the way we fly our flags and pledge our allegiance but I do know that I'll be drawn in by my curiosity if I see a church flying the flags in reverse.
As We Are
03 February 2013 @ 15:21
I don't do what I do so that God will love me; I do what I do because God loved me first. Recently, after doing a session at a retreat, a woman came up to me and said, "God has a special place for you in heaven." I have a problem with that thought because I don't know a God who loves one of his children more than the others. As Brennan Manning always says, "God loves us as we are; not as we should be. That is the good news, at least to some. Others are offended to hear that the prostitutes and tax collectors will make it into heaven before them. I do believe that God delights in his children when we do the good things he created us to do, but he is as excited over that one lost sheep who was lost, but now is found.
I believe that when we allow God to use us in a way that he intended it is incredible where the journey can take us and some may see you as something special. However, it is important to remember the words of the late Rich Mullins. "If God should choose to use you, one should never think too highly of themselves. God spoke to Balaam through his ass and he's been speaking through asses ever since."
I believe that when we allow God to use us in a way that he intended it is incredible where the journey can take us and some may see you as something special. However, it is important to remember the words of the late Rich Mullins. "If God should choose to use you, one should never think too highly of themselves. God spoke to Balaam through his ass and he's been speaking through asses ever since."