The Balance

How does one balance love of country and love of God?
How do you place one above the other?
Love of God always comes first.
It comes before wife, children, job, possession, and yes...even country.
Somewhere down the line, we have blurred the two.
We ring out with "God bless America!"
Don't get me wrong...I do want God to bless our nation. And humbly recognize the immeasurable truth that God has indeed blessed America.

But America, as a nation, hasn't done anything in a number of years for God to bless. Here in lies the rub. We still export missionaries to countries around the world, while our own nation disowns God and is trying to move him to the back of the bus. We have 24 hour a day Religious TV (I hesitate to call it Christian....there are good shows and teaching and then we have the hucksters in Jesus name.

Why would God bless a nation that aborts upward of 1,000,000 babies each year?
In that regards, we are no better than any of the Canaanite tribes who worshipped the god, Molech.
In that culture, the children were passed through fire. That nation came under the judgement of God and let me add...it wasn't pretty what happen to them. But God would never do that to America...after all...land of the free, home of the brave...C'mon...we're America.

Why would God want to bless a nation that is in the process of destroying the meaning of family and marriage?
Family now constitutes any two people who want to live together. I read the other day that for the first time in our history, marriage is below 50%, that is, people living together who are married are now in the minority.
But we cry out for God to bless our country.

Church?
Church has become like a Chaplin on a cruise ship. He looks good walking around the deck but no one has need for him. That is until the boat starts to sink. The only comfort I take from this is that people cannot see the real church. It isn't bound by denominational flags or commitments. It move and breathes and functions under the guidance of God's Holy Spirit. In this regard, the Church is alive and well and functioning in our country. But it takes eyes of grace and heart for God to see and understand what I am talking about. I do not want you to think it is an exclusive club that works to keep outsiders away. It isn't. It is the body of Christ made up of true believers all living daily trying to extend their little portion of God's kingdom that has been given to them.

Somewhere along the way the lines became blurred between God's kingdom and love for our country.
Some today even would believe that God stands on certain platforms of political reform.
Well, I am reminded of an encounter that took place between Joshua, leader of Israel and an Old Testament appearance of Jesus at a wall that surrounded a city named Jericho. Joshua, not exactly sure who he was talking to, asked the stranger, "Or you with us or with our enemies?" To which Jesus replied, "Neither! I am the Captain of the host (army) of heaven." I don't think Jesus has leanings one way or the other. Sorry, he is neither Democrat nor Republican and I think it foolish for us to try and make him out to be in favor of one or the other.

What's the answer?
"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 will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land."

But we won't do that will we? After all, we are America.
God thank you for blessing us...but now....
God forgive America.

God on you....
mb