Little Gems

America Bless God

America Bless God? You may be thinking I have this backwards! We say God Bless America; we sing it, and it has certainly become more popular since the events of September 11, 2001. And, of course, our desire is to see God Bless America. However, let us examine what it means to have "America Bless God."

We are to live our lives to honor God, but I never really thought about the phrase "America Bless God." I recently saw this on a bumper sticker of someone's car, and it hit me right between the eyes. We should bless God--yes, absolutely!

Psalm 33:12 says "Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD." And in Psalm 14:34, God's Word says, "Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people." This clearly tells us what God wants from this nation. As individuals we obviously cannot control the whole nation; however, we are responsible for our own words and actions.

God wants us to be holy. In Leviticus 11:44, God's Word says "I am the LORD your God. Consecrate yourselves and be holy because I am holy." God loves us so much, and it is his desire for us to be obedient and live Godly lives.

Living Godly lives is a "one day at a time" situation. Being the humans that we are, we go merrily on our way, taking for granite that God will continue to bless us. The bad news is that we allow sin to come in to our lives, and we sometimes turn completely away from God, going down our own designed path. The good news is God forgives. In 1 John 1:9, God's Word says, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." This is a most comforting thought to me.

God doesn't just leave us out here floundering around. He promises to guide us. Proverbs 3:5-6 says "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight." So, it is a matter of trust, a small word, but a large task.

Let us stay in God's Word, and daily look to God in prayer, asking for guidance. If we live our lives so that others see Christ in us, we will truly reflect the phrase "America Bless God."

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