God Bless America

This summer I read an article from a columnist advocating the removal of the song "God Bless America" from all baseball games. To push his agenda he quoted various opinion polls. Those surveyed allegedly agreed it was time for the song to be retired.

Now any person with a sound mind and any level of comprehension knows opinion polls can easily be manipulated and are highly biased. This happens all the time when so-called results are announced in pre-election polls. So I don't give much merit to surveys in general that are supposed to somehow impress a viewpoint upon me.

The author also condemns the song as being self-righteous. I truly fail to see how a song about love of country and asking for God's blessing is self-righteous. If anything, it's a song of humility...being grateful and acknowledging that we continue to need God's protection.

The weakest part of the entire article is the bitter end. The author writes "If you want to thank God for blessing America, you can do it on Sunday in the other church." Hmm. All credibility of the author was lost for me in that closing statement.

The author alludes to being atheist (which is no surprise since he's attempting to banish a faith-based tradition). If this is the case it truly explains the naivety of his closing statement.

For as people of faith, we do not limit our prayers for this great land (or anything else) to one hour in a church pew on Sunday morning. Any true person of faith knows that we carry that faith with us everyday, everywhere. We live it at work, at play, at celebrations and at times of mourning. Our prayers extend to the home, the work place, the restaurant, the ball park, the daily commute, the hospital bed, the voting box, the doctor's office, the plane ride, etc.

We are called to be a light to the world. In our violent, anti-faith society of today can people---strangers or loved ones--look at you and see Christ at work? I know personally I need to strive more to live my faith every minute of every day. I'm truly a work in progress. But once when a total stranger called me a "Jesus freak" online I knew at least I was headed in the right direction.

Please join me in trying to live our great faith 24-7. May your example shine in a world filled with darkness. May your example be an inspiration for conversion of hearts everywhere. And in the process, may we continue to ask God to bless America. Our country truly needs prayers---everyday and everywhere.