MANY NATIONS, UNDER GOD

Our church celebrating the Fourth of July weekend with a morning service spiced with patriotic hymns and a reading from the Declaration of Independence. But lest we equate being Christian with being American, we were reminded that America has no special place in God's heart; it is but one of the many nations in which He longs for His name to be known and proclaimed.

Nevertheless, the Fourth of July is a distinctly American holiday, and so prayers were offered for our nation, that God would prosper us and humble us with His presence. Our pastor asked for citizens of other nations to stand and make those nations known, that we might pray such things for these nations. The following nations were represented by its citizens in our morning service: Canada, Ghana, Great Britain, Haiti, India, Japan, Kenya, Korea, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Pakistan, South Africa, and Taiwan.

Though the service was in English and in an American city, it was nice to be reminded that our God is Maker and Ruler of all nations. His focus, His Word, His purposes -- they do not begin in the US and from there emanate to the ends of the earth; that is an Americentric perspective of which I have no evidence that such a perspective exists in the Bible or in the mind of God. They are truly global. Thankfully, we as a nation, and we as a congregation representing many nations, have been touched by His presence.