It's That Time of the Year

    It's that time of the year. The time when we pull out the patriotic hymns. A time of year that I struggle with.
    I am American. I love being an American. But above and beyond my national citizenship I am a Christian. Personally, I am also a Christian who has had the deep privilege of traveling and hearing stories from my brothers and sisters in Christ around the world who have different national citizenships, but deeply love the same Lord I do.
    When you break out the patriotic hymns, Church, I start to see their faces and remember their stories. And I lament. I lament for some churches in America, who while I don't think they mean to, have in the words of theologian Frederick Buchner substituted God for one who "sanctifies our foreign policy and our business methods." ("The Gods are Dying" in Listening to Your Life).
   Here's the thing - yes, God is the God of America and we can celebrate that, but let us not forget that God is the God of the world. Let us not forget the words of John 3:16 - for God so loved the world - not a specific nation, but the whole world.
    As we enter into this season of patriotic surge - let us thank God for the privileges and freedom we have been given as Americans as we sing our hymns. But let us also pray for Christians around the world - for blessing and peace to be on them as well, for we are part of a global church, working together for our ultimate identity and home - the Kingdom of God.