I Still Believe in You, America

Dear America,

I still believe in you. When you were born 240 years ago, you were like a wobbly newborn calf, just testing out its legs. Built on courage and determination and vision and, yes, rebellion. Your ideals were clear: freedom for all. Liberty. You were designed to protect human beings from tyranny and to create a world where we are free to think what we want, say what we want, believe what we want.

You haven’t always gotten it right, America. That spirit of rebellion is still strong in you. The mindset that says independence above all, strength no matter the cost, prosperity and self-reliance and pride. All things that I love about you. But, with such a love for independence comes the tendency to believe that God is unnecessary. That Jesus is irrelevant. That the blessings of an unseen Savior are actually just the result of human intelligence, personal determination, or hard work.

It’s really not your fault, America. You are only as good as the sum of your parts. And, you are made up of imperfect people. People, in fact, whose hearts are bent toward sin and self-destruction. People who would rather feel safe and understood and comfortable than see hearts turn toward Christ. People like me.

But I still believe in you, America, because I believe in Jesus Christ. And, I know that He can change people in miraculous ways. He can turn cold, dead hearts toward compassion. He can turn political minds into spiritual minds. He can save souls that seem way past saving, and He can bring revival even among us complacent, sleepy Christians. He can wake you up, America, because He can change people. And, that means He can change you before we find ourselves once again bound in chains of tyranny that keep us from freely honoring the God of the Universe, who built you, who invented freedom, and who tells us that true liberty comes only through belief in the saving power of Jesus Christ.

You are still, today, the greatest country in the world. Tomorrow, I’m not sure what you’ll be. But, I know that Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever. So, if your people cling to Him, I believe you will make it. I still believe in you because I believe in the One who really sets people free. So, on your birthday, I offer up a prayer to Jesus, asking that He would show us how to humble ourselves and seek His face and turn from our wicked ways, not just so that He will make you great, but so that you will make His name great in all of the world. He doesn’t need you, America. But you sure need Him. Happy birthday to my home that I love. May God have mercy on us, one soul at a time, until the United States of America is overrun with love for the Savior.