One Nation Under God ?

New York advertising photographer Bill composed this powerfully reflective photograph of a US flag made from matches that has just caught fire, Stars and Stripes Forever? (1970). Taking its name from a patriotic march, Stettner suggested it perchance foreshadows “The fragility of the US and the principles that founded it.”

The haunting “?” Stettner placed at the end of his work’s title, combined with his “…fragility of the US …” statement convey a concern which, unfortunately, 45 years later hasn’t diminished. Regrettably it has intensified, sadly dividing today’s One Nation Under God.

Perhaps America’s tragic division is somewhat attributable to our (myself included) tacit submission to a myriad of lesser ‘Me not Thee gods’ we often find ourselves Under . . .  pleasure – prosperity – power – prestige – politics … etc. Where an individual devotes their time and finances often divulges their allegiance priorities.

Sometime between 300 – 350 BC King Solomon, gifted with unsurpassed wisdom by God, in a dream was given a Divinely definitive If/Then solution and promise for national healing unity:

 “If my people (people of every nationality, color, culture, position, prince or pauper) who are called by my name

• Humble themselves
•  Pray,
• Seek my face, and
• Turn from their wicked ways,

Then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”                        

2 Chronicles 7:14

Over the decades I’ve been inspired and encouraged witnessing people praying, searching for God, and abandoning destructive behaviors . . . but not as frequently being genuinely humble. That humility precedes prayer, seeking God, and relinquishing sinful habits in this If/Then Scripture sequence implies it’s a crucial healing prerequisite. It’s pride which makes it difficult to authentically implement humility in our lives.

I remain confidently optimistic that, with God’s guidance, we can join together and snuff out the flame of division threatening our One Nation Under God. May we humble ourselves, pray, seek, and claim His promise to restore America and the unifying principles it was founded upon for us, our children, and grandchildren to experience . . . the alternative is unthinkable.

Keep Looking Up ^ . . . His Best is Yet to Come!