Is Our American Patriotism Being Fueled by Pride?
James 4:6
“God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”
With everything that is happening in our country today, patriotism has become rekindled in the hearts of many Americans. It has become the battle cry of passionate talk-show personalities and conservative groups, and it has ignited huge rallies across our country. In an effort to exercise our freedom of speech, we flood social media outlets with our frustrations, opinions, and concerns as we feel our freedoms and our rich heritage being threatened as never before. Our sacred Constitution is being undermined and our leaders seem to be subverting the will of the people with socialistic agendas that are unraveling the fabric of our democracy.
A Divine Revelation
At this point, knowing that “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble” should give us encouragement. But what if this patriotism we’re feeling is being fueled by our own pride? Our leaders may be subverting the will of the people, but what if we’re the ones guilty of subverting the will of God because of it? These are necessary questions for us, as believers, to be asking at such a time as this.
I have been on my knees, weeping over the darkness that has fallen over this great nation under God. The challenges to our personal freedoms (censoring free speech, and the right to bear arms), the fiery debates regarding abortion laws, and the decision that federalized gay marriage are just a few ways America is showing its defiance against God and inciting His discipline and His wrath. That’s why it isn’t the pride of America that brings me to my knees, but IT IS THE CONSEQUENCE OF THAT PRIDE I FEAR THE MOST!
This nation, once a nation under God, now raises its rebellious fist in God’s face and proclaims loud and clear that God’s ways are not our ways. God has essentially become obsolete, and therefore, His divine providence is no longer needed. Our pride and our freedoms have given us the right to turn away from God and go the “way that seems right to a man.” However, that way leads to DEATH!
A Divine Challenge
The TRUTH is, patriotism is not the answer to saving our nation, REPENTANCE IS! Our love for our country will not change our country, but A LOVE FOR GOD AND EACH OTHER WILL! Rallying around monuments or gathering to protest will not give power to our voices, but PRAYER WILL! I’m not advocating that we do nothing or that we don’t speak up against evil. Evil prevails when the men who see it do nothing to stop it! But the antidote to the mess we’re in is not pride in our country. It is OUR LOVE FOR GOD, OUR LOVE FOR OTHERS, and an ATTITUDE OF REPENTANCE that will bring us to our knees to pray a PRAYER that God promises to answer!
II Chronicles 7:14
“If my people who are called by My name will 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.”
Call to Action
Again, pride in our country will not rally God to our cause, but humility will. And this bears repeating, repentance, not patriotism is what is needed for the people of this nation to see our country restored. Our forefathers built this country upon the foundation of faith in Jesus Christ and a moral code that was established upon the truth of Scripture. “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men were created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.” Our Creator gave us these rights that we hold so dear, and He can ALSO take them away. Beloved, it’s time for us to humble ourselves and repent before He does!
Father, we cry out to You with all humility and confess our sin and ask for Your help to turn away from our wicked ways and follow You with all our hearts. This is the only way to save America! In the name of Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen!