Sad Feelings on the 4th of July...

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The title may have turned you off to this post, but it is the truth for me. This year I couldn't help but have a sad feeling down deep inside of me. While I have immense pride that I was blessed to have been brought into this world in one of the (if not the) most free countries there is there is also a growing sense of sadness sweeping through that pride.

Allow me to first disclose a few things:

I am so happy that I still live in a country which claims to allow freedom of speech, freedom to bear arms, freedom of religion and the pursuit of happiness. I cannot express to you the sense of pride when I think of all the women and men that fought to give me those rights, especially those who found themselves involved in true defense of the safety of the US (Revolutionary War, Civil War, WWI, WWII and to an extent the Afghanistan war on terror). These men and women deserve much more respect and honor than shall ever be given to them.

I am also happy that every Sunday morning I can get up and drive to my church which doesn't have to hide in a basement or sewer like some churches do across the world. I feel blessed to know that if God blesses me with children they too will experience this freedom. God and my relationship with Him is the #1 thing in my life above my wife, my family and myself; which is why I cannot express the value of this ability to freely follow and worship my Lord in my country.

I am also proud of the fact that although it seemingly is getting harder one can still pursue the idea of hard work will provide a better life. As I start a new job in the private sector with a partner I cannot help but feel excited at the possibility to build something amazingly successful if God would so choose to bless it...in some countries this dream wouldn't even be possible or even illegal to attempt.

I could go on and on about what makes me proud to live here in America, the United States, One Nation Under God...or is it? Perhaps the biggest sadness sweeping through to my core is the lack of God and family in America.


Galatians 6:7 describes how I feel when I think of the state of America:

^"7 Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap."

What are we as a nation sowing?

This nation was founded for many reasons, but it was a point by our founding fathers to make it very clear this would be One Nation Under God and that "In God We Trust" to be our way of life. Sadly though as we "progress" towards as some describe "modern" thinking we are leaving all which is of God and seeking to be that of which man is. 

The odd thing though is that over the history of this Earth man has proven just one mere thing 100% consistently: WE ARE GOOD AT FAILING. Look over history when you get a chance, some of the greatest highs of mankind were always followed by extreme lows and wickedness. Even in thriving "fiscal" cities we had slavery, debauchery and adultery rampant in both temples and courts. We have proven we fail friendships, relationships and where there are commitments and vows we find loopholes and annulments.  Even our own American history is riddled with failure; slavery, civil war and corruption.

However, for many years God was always on the American mind, money and way of life. He dictated to some extent how this country operated...but slowly God became less of a cornerstone and more of a gorgeous stain glass window in our lives. Something which was to be viewed for it's beauty and to reflect upon something which WAS gorgeous and HAD it's place at one time.

We are now choosing to attempt to put a human definition on marriage which just cannot be done. Marriage isn't a man given thing, God provided it and defined it. If marriage was a gift or idea granted by man, let man define it...however if we as a nation still claim any allegiance to God how can we let man define which He created?

Perhaps though that's the real issue, it's that God is falling faster out of America than  husbands and wives are falling out of marriage (which is ridiculously fast!) here in America. Is it sheer coincidence that the unraveling of God in America and the idea of what a family and marriage is coincides with some of the darkest things we find here? Have you seen the statistics for murderers and especially mass murderers that come from broken homes that have been split by divorce...the idea of marriage even beyond redefining as man and woman is also being shredded from it's intended purpose. 

Marriage isn't suppose to be two people positioning themselves better socially, fiscally or emotionally. It isn't designed to  show our status through the beauty of the other. It also isn't to be something we fall into because we have an "oops baby".

Marriage was designed for us to have on Earth what we have in heaven. A relationship of love and support which should be the best example we humans can produce of how God's love is for us. It's not about two people trying to make it through this life, IT'S ABOUT TWO PEOPLE TRYING TO MAKE IT TO ETERNAL LIFE.

Maybe that is all we need here in America. Maybe instead of focusing on whether I can carry a 9mm on my hip or share my thoughts freely or even be able to afford health insurance....maybe we should focus on simply bringing God back into the forefront. Maybe we should lift Him up and out of that stained glass window, put there for our viewing and re-establish Him as a cornerstone in our Nation...one which without would surely crumble.

That's what I desire more than anything. Not for me, not for my family, not for my community but for my United States of America which I pray will turn back to being One Nation Under God.