What Joy for the Nation Whose God is the Lord

but the Lord's plans stand firm forever;

his intentions can never be shaken

What joy for the nation whose god is the Lord.

The Lord looks down from heaven 

and sees the whole human race.

From his throne he observes all who live on the earth. 

He made their hearts, 

so he understands everything they do.

The best equipped army cannot save a king,

nor is great strength enough to save a warrior. 

Don't count on your warhorse to give you victory-

for all it's strength it cannot save you. 

But the Lord watches over those who fear him, 

those who rely on his unfailing love. 

He rescues them from death and keeps them alive in times of famine.

We put our hope in the Lord. 

He is our help and our shield. 

In him our hearts rejoice, 

for we trust his holy name.

Let your unfailing love surround us, Lord,

for our hope is in you!

Psalm 33:11-22

Can I just tell you how much I love reading the Bible? Last night I saw a scripture on a sign when we were driving home. (Yes, we live in Blue Ball, scripture is abundant in yards and on signs, although, most of them say something like, "repent the end is near") I looked up the verse in context and found this gem. Boy, did it make me think. 

I realized that we have such a false sense of security. We rely on treaties, and army's, politics, and diplomacy to keep us safe. Yet, who is it that really keeps us safe? Isn't it kind of scary to rely on something/someone we can't see?

Do me a favor. Think of the lowest point in your life. What brought you out of it? Where did your strength come from? I'd be willing to bet it was the unfailing love of the Lord, whether you believe that or not. I believe God's love comes in a lot of shapes and sizes. 

The verse that struck me the most was this, "what joy for the nation whose god is the Lord". How ironic that our money says "in God we trust", because I'm pretty sure America doesn't believe it's under God. Do we believe we're under God? I know a lot of times I want to make decisions based on what I want, and yet I consider myself a Christian and basically a good person. 

I'm also struck by the dis-unity (I realize that's not a word, I just made it up) of American's, and also Christians. I wonder what God thinks when he looks down and see the hearts he created for us. I wonder what he thinks when he sees the lines we've drawn in the sand: republicans vs. democrats, pro life vs. pro choice, marriage as one man and one woman vs. equality in marriage. I wonder how ridiculous he thinks it is that we pick and choose which laws/policies we want to base on religion, and what we don't. I also want to clarify that I don't group Christianity/religion with a person relationship with Christ. I think you can be a Christian and not know God, or have a desire to know him. So when I say that some government decisions seem to be based on religion, I mean religion, not conviction. 

So, the question I ask myself is, am I willing to live my life based on how the American life looks. Based on some ridiculous sense of morality? I don't want to be pro life or pro choice, I want to be pro relationships, and pro love. I  don't want my political party to define me, I want the meditations of my heart, and my love for the Lord to spill forth and define me and light my path. I don't want to rely on warriors, and armies, and kings, and warhorses to protect me. I want to push so far into the heart of God that I find complete security in him. 

I have one last thought; turn on the tv, or the radio, pay attention to what's going on around you, then I dare you to tell me that America is a nation whose god is the Lord.