Happy 250th birthday, America! We have cause to celebrate, even though we are relatively a young nation, an adolescent compared with Europe and the Near East. Like anyone in their teens, our country has experienced emotional upheavals, divisive warfare, and rages of temper with name-calling or worse. Hopefully, those of us who belong to God have matured and demonstrate the grace to forgive, the mercy to react with love, and a trust that combats fear.
And our young nation has a lot to fear, doesn’t it? We have a lot to fear—violence in our streets, economic failure, duplicitous politicians, imperiled troops on deployment, malicious infiltrators. This doesn’t even list personal troubles, whether relational, physical, or financial.
Fear not! There is good news. We can enjoy dual citizenship, pledging allegiance to the United States of America and also to the Kingdom of God. Our earthly national residence could be Israel or Iran, Fiji or France, Haiti or Honduras, Canada or Cambodia, Bahrain or Brazil—you get the idea. But when we ask God to rule and reign in our lives, we become a spiritual nation of believers, a blessed people who are kept safe in our Father’s care.
As His people, we enjoy the hope and consolation of Psalm 33, regardless of the earthly nation we live in. Savor the Bible’s assurances of safety and security:
- The Lord foils the plans of the nations.
- He thwarts their schemes.
- His purposes stand firm, forever, through all generations (250 years and beyond).
- He looks down from Heaven and sees us—He formed our hearts and considers everything we do.
- He delivers us from death—not warhorses, armies, or weaponized drones.
- He keeps us alive in times of drought (personal or physical).
There are wars and the threat of war worldwide. Who knows how the Iranian conflict or the Ukrainian/Russian war will end? What will be the next war, and will it involve our country? Who can predict how America will be governed in the future? What threats will menace our “United” states?
During our tenure on Earth, we are safe. God has revealed His sovereignty to us, assuring us of His protection. Let’s focus on the safety of our souls and not fear what man can do.
Remember your heavenly residency, for the One who created us is preparing a place for us.
BARBARA HIGBY 