I never served in the armed forces but my father was a soldier in the army and I am proud to be the son of such a fine soldier. It is because of him and his example as a soldier that I am touched with that feeling of patriotism whenever issues that threaten our nation are active. Nevertheless I must remember that the Bible, God's Word, is not an American book. America is included in what the Scripture has to say, as one of the nations of this world that God has created. And even though God has shed His grace on us as a nation in what appears to be unusual ways, in the end what will matter is what we did with that grace. How have we reacted to it?
John 1:14 states that Jesus Christ was "full of grace and truth" and :17 states that "grace and truth came by Jesus Christ." He is the source of God's grace and if we as a nation desire God's blessing we must first recognize the source of that blessing. Have we been blessed because of us, or because of God's Son? Every time I see a bumper sticker that says "God Bless America" I react by thinking it should say "Jesus Christ Bless America" or "In Jesus Christ We Trust" be what reads on our currency. The Scripture is clear that no one truly trusts in God without trusting in His Son, the incarnate One set forth openly to be a propitiation of those who will trust in Him as such. No one. If we have received grace it came from Jesus Christ who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, the only way to God!