I’ve played hundreds of baseball games in my career. One of my favorite moments of a baseball game–specifically when the playoffs roll around–is when everyone stands together to sing God Bless America.
As we approach America’s 250th birthday this weekend, I’ve find myself thinking about that song a little more than usual.
For a quick history lesson, the song God Bless America was written in 1918 by a man named Irving Berlin, when he was serving in the United States Army during World War I. And now, over one hundred years later, here we are still singing his words.
It’s a beautiful song. No one can deny it.
God Bless America fills us with gratitude for the country we call home, but more than that, it has always struck me as a corporate prayer. As we sing this song together, we’re really just praying aloud, together, crying out to God and asking for His blessing.
That thought led me to a simple question.
Why Should God Bless America?
Just why should God bless us? Why should He look down on America and show us His favor?
Have you ever stopped to think about that?
There’s nothing in the Bible that says God loves red, white, and blue.
There’s nothing in the Bible that says God loves stars and stripes.
There’s nothing in the Bible that says God loves cowboys, explorers, astronauts, or entrepreneurs.
Those may all be uniquely American qualities, but they are not the reason why God blesses our nation. Instead of musing about what makes America special, it’s more fruitful to ask what God actually blesses.
What God Blesses
Throughout Scripture, we find the same pattern repeated over and over again. God blesses obedience, and He blesses faith. He blesses fidelity and loyalty to Him.
In a roundabout way, God does not necessarily bless America because He loves America. God is not a flag-waving, bald-eagle-grooming, cosmic-Uncle-Sam in the sky.
Instead, God blesses the people (and nations) that pursue Him. Therefore, to the degree that a nation follows God’s ways, that nation will experience the blessing that comes from walking with God.
When you look back over the last 250 years, it’s hard to ignore what many have called the “Great American Experiment”. This country has been remarkably fruitful, remarkably successful, and remarkably free. Why is that?
In many ways, this nation was established on the Bible, on Judeo-Christian principles, and on the truths of the Old and New Testaments. In other words, the United States of America was born on God’s Word. No nation has ever lived out the biblical ideal perfectly, and America certainly has not, but the ideal still stands.
The historical record, the Founding Fathers, and most accurately, the founding documents of our country all point to this ideal.
A Fourth of July Reflection
As you celebrate the Fourth of July this weekend, there’s a good chance you’ll hear God Bless America sung once again. When you do, I hope you’ll think about the words a little differently. Rather than simply asking God to bless America, ask yourself just why He should.
Are we really pursuing Him today? Are we obeying His commands? Are we doing the things that God is pleased with?
Are you?
Scripture teaches the principle of sowing and reaping. There is cause and effect woven throughout God’s Word, and God’s blessings have always been connected to people who walk in His ways.
If we get back to both of those things—if we follow God’s Word and His ways—then I believe we can confidently pray the words generations of Americans have sung before us: God bless America, my home sweet home.
God bless America, and God bless you.
Happy Fourth of July.
Blessings,
