July 4, Independence Day, is a major holiday in my country. If you are not familiar with the significance of this day, check out the link in the previous sentence. Before I leave for the local fireworks display, I wanted to share this post–one written to my fellow American brothers and sisters in the faith.
Christians who live in in the United States have much to be thankful for on this July 4 holiday. Though U.S. citizens are not the chosen people of God and the United States is not God’s special country, we have received tremendous blessings over the years. He has shed much grace upon us just because He is Who He is, despite the fact we are (and have been) the sinners we are. Our history is filled with both God-pleasing and God-despising moments.
As followers of Jesus, we may be blessed with a U.S. zip code, but we are sojourners in this strange land that is not our home. We are blessed to be here and work for the welfare of this nation as a part of our Kingdom stewardship. We seek His Kingdom and His righteousness first (Matt 6:33); everything else is secondary. We are to be the best citizens of the United States because we are first and foremost citizens of a heavenly country (Heb 11:16).
To whom much is given much will be required (Luke 12:48). Only a small percentage of believers will (or ever will) celebrate July 4 as a citizen of the greatest country in the world. As citizens of the heavenly Kingdom, may we consider how we can best steward (Matt 25:21) the blessings of our earthly home so all peoples may praise the King (Ps 67:3).
If we cry out to God to bless us, do we expect to use those blessings to be a blessing to others? Do we expect to leverage all we have received for the glory of Christ? We only need to glance at Genesis 12:1-3, Psalm 67, and Paul’s use of his Roman citizenship to understand part of the reason why God pours blessings on people.
As we take the gospel to the nations, may we work to contextualize the faith and not clone U. S. Christianity. Sadly, history shows we struggle with such basic apostolic work. Our cultural Christian expressions often become sacrosanct. We make general U. S. preferences as biblical prescriptions. May we be willing to become all things to all people (1 Cor 9:22), without compromise, as we recognize the Spirit of mission births and develops ecclesiastical expressions from the matrices of cultures. May we always be a people who reduce the stumbling block of American Christianity so that the nations can encounter the stumbling block of the cross of Christ.
On this July 4, give thanks to God for being part of the greatest country in the world. It was the greatest country when Barack Obama was president. It is the greatest country with Donald Trump as president. Why is it the greatest? Because God has “shed His grace on thee.” Because people of the Heavenly City are peppered across this landmass bordered by Canada, the Atlantic Ocean, Mexico, and the Pacific Ocean.
We have so, so much. Will we be faithful to maximize all we have available to us as U. S. citizens to make disciples of all nations? Or, will we be a people who selfishly consume our heritage, power, wealth, education, technology, leadership, wisdom, and opportunities for personal gain? On that Day, will we be a people digging up what we have buried (Matt 25:25)?
We have so, so much.
May we maximize the blessings we have received!
The five billion remain.
Right on, Dr Payne!
May AMERICA keep its sweetness!
God bless you!