Dear Friends,
June 14th, we celebrate Flag Day. Flag Day commemorates the adoption—in 1777, by the Second Continental Congress—of the “Stars and Stripes” as the official banner of the United States.
If you have occasion to visit the National Archives in Washington, D.C., you will see the 15-star version of the flag that flew over Fort McHenry and inspired Francis Scott Key to write the “Star-Spangled Banner.” Although it is not often sung, the final stanza includes words we should not forget:
“Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just, And this be our motto: “In God is our trust”: And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.”
The flag of the United States can evoke strong memories. Many, like us, view the flag that flies over the Marine Corps Memorial near Rosslyn, Virginia and think of the thousands of men and women who died in our nation’s wars. Others remember the flag that was raised at the World Trade Center and mourn the 2,974 who died in that horrific terrorist attack. Then there are those who are touched by the flag-draped coffin or the triangular flag-filled shadow box given to a family that has lost a loved-one in the defense of our country.
As children, we proudly recited the Pledge of Allegiance. Today, the pledge, like school prayer, has become a relic of the past. The flag, if it is still in the classroom, is a dusty reminder of what used to be. Public opinion polls indicate that our “once-indivisible” nation is anything but united. Ideas that used to unite us, now divide us. Is there any banner we can unite under?
We love and respect our Star Spangled Banner, but we know that our hope is in another banner: “Jehovah-Nissi—God is my Banner.” (Exodus 17:15)
How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity! Psalm 133:1
As Christians, we have a special responsibility to, as Saint Paul urged, “Live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.” Ephesians 4:1-3 (NIV)
Abraham Lincoln’s offered words to live by: “My concern isn’t whether God is on our side; my greatest concern is to be on God’s side, for God is always right.
Verse for the Week: He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” Psalm 46:10
Blessings, Your Friends in Christ
Because He Loves Us Press 