As I Was Saying is a forum for a variety of perspectives to foster faith-related conversations among our readers with the goal of mutual learning, even in disagreement. Apart from articles written by editorial staff, these perspectives do not necessarily reflect the views of The Banner.
It’s the 250th birthday of the United States of America. The “semiquincentennial” is a mouthful, but 250 years is a big number! There were serious questions by America’s founding fathers as to how long this newly established nation could endure. Some guessed 20 years before things would fall apart into regionalism. Others thought this republic, dependent on a virtuous self-governing citizenry, would quickly devolve into a squabble of fortune-seekers living only for themselves.
But here we are, 250 years later. I find myself joining many other Americans in the Christian Reformed Church (those of us “south of the border”) taking this important moment to reflect on what God has been doing in this nation of ours. It is God’s providence that has placed me—and 349 million others—in this beautiful land. Not, of course, that all beauty is found in the United States. I’ve visited a couple dozen different nations over the years, and all of those lands have their own unique beauty. Yet I remain very grateful that I have been able to spend the bulk of my life in the United States.
Granted, my nation is like any nation found throughout human history in this fallen world of ours, having a multitude of sins, both past and present, confessed and unconfessed. As Reformed Christians, we are well-acquainted with the Bible’s teaching on our sinful nature, how it infects and pollutes every person, including every citizen and resident of the United States. Truly, the founding fathers weren’t far off in their concerns about whether or not the future inhabitants of the then-newly formed nation would be able to keep it. People are a troublesome bunch of creatures.
But the Bible demonstrates that God is in the business of working with and through troublesome people, whether they acknowledge his Lordship over every square inch of life or they shake their fists at the one true God. No matter the people or nation, the God of the universe is not deterred or stymied by any of it.
He is sovereign over all. And in his providence, for reasons known ultimately to God in his wisdom, God has had a purpose for the United States to be in this world for the past 250 years. The same could be said about every tribe and nation with its languages and peoples. Whether they be small or big, God has a purpose for them all.
From this patriot’s perspective, God has used this nation over the past 250 years to make a very big footprint in world history. Someone would be hard-pressed to discuss most any major world event since the 20th century and not find the United States playing a major role. This sometimes has been received by rejoicing, and other times by protests.
A consequence of the United States playing such an outsized role is that many nations of the world are regularly looking at what's happening in the United States and reporting about it. In my travels, one thing I’ve often noticed is how frequently other nations cover what the sitting American president (in whatever administration) has said or done, for American policy often affects many nations in the world at any given moment.
America has effects through trade and monetary policy, through regulations and industry standards, through research and development, through military action and diplomacy. In many ways this nation dominates as a superpower.
We didn’t start out that way in 1776. Back then, with the help of a superpower nation at that time (France) our meager 13 colonies threw off the shackles of another superpower, the British, and her rule of parliament and king. But those two nations are no longer superpowers, though one was once described as an empire upon which the sun never set, it was so expansive and vast.
This is a reminder to all that superpowers rise and superpowers fall; human history is littered with the remains of one-time superpowers that are no more. How long will the United States play such a role? Only God in his providence knows.
I can be grateful to God for the good that the United States has helped bring about, which I pray God will continue to bring about until his purposes for this nation have been worked out. True, there are times for lamenting, but there also must be times for giving thanks and looking for the good. For God, who loves to give good gifts, has poured out his common graces upon this land that I love.
Yes, I love my nation. My heart stirs when I hear “The Star-Spangled Banner” powerfully sung at a sporting event, or when “God Bless America” is spontaneously sung. It’s OK for a Christian to love one’s land and nation. Yet my ultimate citizenship is in another kingdom and my greatest, most heart-stirring allegiance is to my precious Savior, King Jesus.
It was King Jesus who decreed that I be born in Grand Rapids, Mich., to two Christian Reformed parents. That did not happen by chance, as Q&A 27 of the Heidelberg Catechism teaches (“all things, in fact, come to us not by chance but from His Fatherly hand”).
It is King Jesus who one day will draw me away from this present earthly home with its American kingdom and draw me into my heavenly eternal home where I will finally see my sovereign Lord face to face.
But that day is not yet here. So until then, he has me here to be a blessing to this nation (and all nations) where I am sojourning. I may proclaim the good news about Jesus in a land where we have the Constitutional freedom to do so. It’s a freedom which so many other nations do not get to enjoy, but a freedom we as a denomination will take full advantage of as we press forward with our vision to plant numerous new churches.
I may proclaim that all our earthly nations, no matter how wonderful they might be, nor how old they might get, will eventually pass away. Only our triune God and his eternal Kingdom will endure.
America, with her citizens, needs Jesus, and that’s what I labor for, in love for my land and her people. It is Jesus and Jesus alone who can save us from our sins and establish in fullness a people who have been drawn from every land and nation to do that which God created us to be and to do: to work and worship in his eternal land and kingdom.
So while I work toward that day, I pause to gratefully say happy 250th birthday, America! May God shed his grace on thee.