The entire issue of patriotism rises to a peak level during this time of year in our country.  That’s especially true this year since the nation we call home is celebrating 250 years of existence.  And those who consider themselves patriots will engage in all of the ceremonial rites and rituals associated with July 4 well into the rest of the year.  And no doubt, there will be many Americans who consider themselves Christians and many patriots who consider themselves American who will have celebrated this anniversary.  But the glaring truth will go mostly unnoticed.  Not every Christian is a patriot to the United States of America and not every American is a patriot to the place they call their home.  This is especially true for Christians — who like Peter — acknowledge that their primary place of birth is not the United States.  Rather, they consider they have been born anew into the Kingdom of God, and that while they are on this earth, they experience a dual citizenship.  However, they willingly acknowledge that their pledge of allegiance is to maintain their loyalty, faithfulness, and commitment to keep the laws of God’s Kingdom over and above the laws of the United States.

         There are other Christians who pledge no such allegiance to the Kingdom of God, but have given their allegiance to what has been called “Christian Nationalism” — an apostasy of the Christian faith that aligns itself not with the Kingdom of God, but with the human law of exclusion, racism, sexism, and patriotism to their idea of God’s kingdom over and above God’s idea of God’s kingdom.

         The art of Christian patriotism is defined by God’s intention to include people of every nation, language, tribe, and race, rather than holding one race or nation above all others as supreme as Christian Nationalism attempts to do.  And they (Christian Nationalists) — in Satanic like fashion — attempt to transform the word of God to justify their actions of evil rather than using the word of God to become transformed persons, born anew into the Kingdom of God and His Christ.  The art of Christian patriotism is defined by following Christ’s command to “love one another”, and not just those who make up only one specific racial, ethnic, or culturally segregated group.  It’s why Peter admonishes those newly formed Christians not to use their freedom in Christ as an opportunity to hide the evil we say we despise.  Christian patriotism openly practices the laws of love expressing our patriotism to the Kingdom of God above all others.

• What does living as a patriot to the Kingdom of God mean to you?
• How do you go about the business daily of showing your patriotism to God and his Kingdom?

Todays Prayer

Today’s Prayer —
Loving Christ, allow your Spirit to work within me as an expression of my patriotism to You and Your Kingdom that others may experience true Christian patriotism through love and give honor, praise, and glory to God.

         We’re probably familiar with these words of Paul, mostly from the call as children of God and brothers and sisters of Christ to be transformational and non-conformists.  This is an especially difficult task when so much of our lives has been dedicated to conforming in almost every area of our lives.  We’re expected to conform morally, ethically, socially, culturally, racially, and politically.  Even religious conformity is expected — even when you designate your non-conformity by labeling yourselves as  “Non-denominational” — its own type of conformity.  But the crux of Paul’s text has as less to do with non-conformity than it does with our transformation and why we should be non-conformist.  And we often glide by his statement “ … in view of God’s mercy, offer yourselves as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God — this is your true and proper worship.”ˆ

         It’s in “in view of God’s mercy” — this status as those who have received mercy — that we come before God and the world making ourselves sacrifices of praise.  It’s our actions taken to testify to the world about the mercies we’ve received.  It’s our actions taken to tell each other about what God has done for us that saved us from the destitute situations in which we’ve sometimes found ourselves.  It’s our actions taken to live in faithful communion with God, Christ, and each other acknowledging as the Psalmist sang

         1 If it had not been the LORD who was on our side

                  — let Israel now say —

         2 if it had not been the LORD who was on our side,

                  when our enemies attacked us,

         3 then they would have swallowed us up alive,

                  when their anger was kindled against us;

It is because God was on our side that God has shown us all such great mercy that we sing and share the praises of our God.  It is because of God’s great love for us — that our death would have been precious in his sight — that we covenant with God and Christ to make ourselves living sacrifices of praise to our God who has saved us, adopted us, and called us to be the Ambassadors of God’s grace through Jesus Christ.  A sacrifice of praise is not a sacrifice in the actual sense of the word, but a gift of honor and praise to our Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer of life eternal.  God be praised forever.

Todays Prayer

Today’s Prayer —
Loving and merciful God, continue to work within me, transforming me to be a living sacrifice of praise to You for Your mercy shown to me when you looked beyond my faults and saw my need.

         I’m not sure that any of us truly think of ourselves as being favored by God.  We suffer as other people suffer.  We experience sickness, pain, death, tragedy, and despair like other people.  And yet, we are placed by God in the honored position — chosen —to praise God for what God has done, even in the midst of our — sometimes — despairing situations.  American poet and writer, Joyce Kilmer, once offered this short verse of gratitude.

         The roar of the world in my ears,

         Thank God for the roar of the world!

         Thank God for the mighty tide of fears

         Against me always hurled!

         Thank God for the bitter and ceaseless strife,

         Thank God for the stress and pain of life,

         And oh, Thank God for God!

Perhaps we might see ourselves as favored if we looked beyond the present condition of our physical lives to the Spiritual joy we have knowing that — in the end — God will vindicate us and that we realize the truth and presence of God in our lives when we experience God’s faithfulness in hard times.

Todays Prayer

Today’s Prayer —
Loving God, enable me to always look beyond my present circumstances to remember how You favored me all the times You delivered me. Grant that I may praise You at all times.