Blessings When we sing the song, “God Bless America,” we attach different meanings to the words. It is the land that we love, and we do want God to stand beside us and guide us, through the night, as only His light can do. In singing, some people are asking for protection, others for prosperity, and still others for all kinds of good things to happen to them. Some are just singing what they consider to be a patriotic song. I can’t speak for you, but I know where my blessings come from. My wife and are constantly giving God the credit for the many blessings we have received in our lifetime, and they are many; our Lord and Savior Jesus, family, church, home, friends, health, food, income, each day, and the list goes on. We know that these blessings do not come as a result of who we are or what we have done, but rather as a gift of God’s grace, through His power. Irvin Berlin wrote the song, God Bless America, in 1918 as we were involved in WWI. It didn’t receive much notice initially, so he revised it and reintroduced it in 1938 as a plea for peace, prior to our involvement in WWII. The song was largely a patriotic plea for our country, and was very popular during the war. Over the years it has continued to be sung on special occasions such as July 4th, Veteran’s Day, Memorial Day, and at other times when we feel we are under national duress. The Greek word for blessing used in the New Testament is eulogia, and conveys the idea of speaking well of, adoration, benefit, or largess. A blessing is not only about the words that are spoken, but includes the power to make it happen. God is the power source for turning the words into reality. He is the giver of all good gifts. (James 1:17) When people reflect on the question of God’s blessings on this country, many tend to focus on economic and material conditions. But, when we look more closely at the foundations of this republic, and our own lives, we see that spiritual matters have played a major role. Our early leaders prayed for God’s guidance in their decisions, for blessings on the people, on the government that was being established, and for the future prosperity of this nation. When we reflect on the nature of the American Revolution, our rag-tag army and the enemy’s superiority, we can only be amazed that we were able to defeat the British. The coming together of former colonies into a union of separate states, the reasoning that went into the Constitution, and the eventual growth of the union into a nation that through time became the world’s leading economic and political power, all point to guidance of a divine source. Just as the Bible indicates in numerous references, when a people trust in God and call upon Him in their times of need, He responds with His blessings. Psalm 33:12 says, “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord.” ---
Posted on: Mon, 29 Jul 2013 15:30:47 +0000
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