July Newsletter

From the Pastor’s Pen

As we enter July, I wanted to pause and reflect on the freedom and liberty that we enjoy as Americans. As I stood at the park last week (for Celebrate America Day) and watched the Boy Scouts present the flag, we all joined in the Pledge of Allegiance. Hear again those familiar words that come near the end of that pledge . . . “One nation, under God.”

One of the fundamental questions of our day is whether or not we are truly united as Americans. Today we find our country as divided as it was during the Civil War. We are divided by many things: the war in Iraq, political parties, social outlooks, our views on the hot social issues . . . this space is far too small to list them all.

Likewise, as individuals we find ourselves divided. We know that as Christians, we are called to live as citizens of God’s kingdom, obeying the commands of Christ and embodying the love of God to the world. Often, this puts us at odds with our own will and the norms of our society.

It is with all of this baggage that we come to those words we all learned as children: One Nation, Under God. Are we indeed united as one? Are we a country under God? How can we be?

First, do the commands of Christ affect the day-to-day life I lead? If not, then we need to read the words of Christ again (the red print in many Bibles) and ask ourselves how it applies to our everyday life.

Second, do I allow politics to define me? Instead of drawing lines based upon a party, we need to educate ourselves about the issues and candidates and vote our conscience. And once the elections are over, we need to pray for our leaders, regardless of who he or she might be.

Finally, do I look for ways to use the bounty that God has provided to me to help those who are less fortunate than myself? America has been blessed by God. It is among the richest nations in the world. God has given us an abundance, not for our own pleasure, but as a tool to further His kingdom. Consider John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist movement, who required each family in the societies (similar to our Sunday school classes) to adopt a family less fortunate than themselves. They would look for opportunities to bless that family and embody Christ’s love to them. The Bible makes it clear that if we turn a blind eye on the plight of the poor and powerless that God will bring judgment.

God has richly blessed this country with liberty and prosperity. I pray that we as Americans might be a blessing to God in return.

~ Pastor Tom