Luke: 10:1-11;Galatians 6:7-10
NATION BUILDING
Amitiyah Elayne Hyman
July 4, 2004
“I pledge allegiance to the flag my flag and the Republic for which it stands; one nation indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”
So read the words of Francis Bellamy, a clergyman, on September 8th, 1892. By June 14, 1924, the words “my flag” were changed to “the flag of the United States of America”. This form was adopted by the US government officially on June 22, 1942, in a burst of patriotism during World War II. And so it went until the words “under God” were inserted, by an act of Congress on June 14, 1954. Since that time debate has been constant. What does it mean to be a nation, under God? In a system which requires a separation of church and state, how do you live up to the words “one nation, under God”? We are still trying to answer this question. Each generation answers it in their own way. We struggle today with the same debate. It’s hard to agree.
But their certain things on which we do agree. Everyone comes out on the 4th of July. Everyone loves a parade. In small town USA and all across America, there will be parades marching over the next two days. Patriotic flags will be waving, bands will be playing, choruses will croon the “Star Spangled Banner” , Ray Charles will sing…. Ordinary citizens will pledge their allegiance to the flag and OLD GLORY will wave from sea to shining sea in all his red/white/blue splendor. Rockets red will flare up around monuments bursting in sultry summer air and families will lay out on lemonade soaked picnic blankets to breathe in deep droughts of belief in our mythological way of life….one nation under God.
Bah humbug.
Even as we celebrate our “freedom” loving way of life, we send our uninvited soldiers to fan out across the world parading our tanks and mortars across the night sky of cities Bagdad, creating shock and awe, while families lay out on blood soaked blankets, murdered and mangled by our strategically placed smart bombs. We wage a mortal struggle for the hearts and minds of people who pledge allegiance to Allah and claim to be, like us, a nation under God.
Ah. Humbug.
On this Son’s day, July’s 4th, Jesus’ disciples parade themselves out too, to proclaim a gospel message to all the world. Red rocketless and otherwise unherealded they go like lambs among wolves, carrying no purse full of money to spend, nor weapons of mass destruction, but with a message for each household who welcomes them in: “PEACE TO THIS HOUSE” In a program of attraction, rather than promotion, they speak peace, eating and drinking, and remaining with the people stretched out on blankets of faith and vulnerability in an unseen God who’s hand rest upon all nations. Without God’s reigning sovereignty, nations will parade before one another in so much soldiering and bomb blastingThe KINGDOM OF GOD is near at hand. God’s breath is stirring up the earth, to heal and make it whole. God will set things in order, God’s kingdom will come, God’s will, will be done. God is not mocked.
We are mocked, oh every day, in every way. But God is not mocked. Beware those of you who sow anger, discord, strife, bloodshed and vengeful rockets red. You sow to your own flesh and you will reap corruption from the flesh. This is God’s promise to all nations.
In this nation building time let us stand/walk/work/sing with those who do not grow weary in paving the way for the coming of the Christ. We are those who know that God is everywhere and that all nations are under God’s sovereignty. We work at doing well and well doing, whenever we have the opportunity. Nor do we give up the vision of PEACE upon all households, health for everything that lives and moves and has being, tree people, and rock people, four leggeds and two leggeds, winged people and fin people, PEACE. We love PEACE. We love our country, Turtle Island, yes, indeed we do. But we love God more. We love knowing that our hand is in the hand of God who’s hand reigns over all. We love our country, we love life, and, like Ray Charles, we love MERCY MORE THAN LIFE. Oh beautiful, for spacious skied PEACE! AHO!
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