Day 1958 of the 7 day Bible verse challenge.

2 Chronicles 7:14 NIV

Tomorrow we celebrate our nation's freedom. It's always been one of my favorite celebrations, let's face it, who doesn't love hot dogs and setting things on fire that go boom? But this year it just feels different. The celebration of this country's freedom seems a little dampened. I think it's because of all the turmoil that we're facing. Just makes it a little harder to celebrate when we're in the middle of such a mess.

I may be the only one that feels this way, and I'm okay with that. I've got no problems being unique and different. But I've been thinking about this verse for a little bit today, and well, I think it's pretty apparent that this great nation still has plenty of work to do. We've often been considered one of the best countries on this planet, and for some pretty good reasons. We do have liberties that many others don't get to experience. We do have a wide array of unique and interesting people and backgrounds. We do have comforts and advancements that aren't yet available in other places.

But I think we've taken this Greatest Country title a little too far. We've morphed it into this idea that we don't need to keep trying. We've taken this idea and used it to allow us to become complacent with the issues and problems that we still have to address. That's one of the biggest downsides of thinking that you're the best: you stop trying to get even better. You start just coasting and forget that there's still plenty of work left to do.

I for one think that's what we're dealing with in some ways. We've collectively decided that we're good enough. We've taken our eyes off the prize and decided to just accept what we already have. Humility is largely out the window, replaced by more pride and arrogance than ever need to exist. Worst of all is that we've all but told God to go fly a kite and let us do what we want to do. And we wonder why all of the problems all of the sudden.

Well, we've shoved the ultimate source of peace and goodness out of our way, what did we think would happen? I don't want this to seem like I'm saying our country is ruined. But if we don't do something now, it very well could be. This once great nation is being ripped apart in a dozen different directions. The unity that we were founded upon has been ousted by rage and senseless division. Time that we turn around and try something else.

As this verse is telling us, if we turn back to God, then He can help with all these problems we're facing. If we put aside our lists of demands and silly offenses, then He can show us how to put everything back together. But only if we turn back to Him. We seriously need to humble ourselves, realize we don't know what we're doing, and ask Him for the help that only He can offer. Things are awful bad right now, but we;re not too far gone. All it takes is setting aside our pride and seeing just how far we've run in the wrong directions.

This is a great country full of amazing people. We're better than all this anger-laced stuff that's going on right now. We're better than the divisive hatred, or at least we should be. There is hope and there is healing. But isn't found in thinking we have it all figured out and under control. It's only found in realizing we've screwed up and need more help than we can manage to come up with on our own. Folks, we need God. This country needs God. And until we realize that and turn back to Him, this ain't gonna get any better.

With tomorrow's celebration, I hope it hits home just how great we have it. I hope we remember just how much we have to fight for. And I hope that we finally open our eyes and see that we still have plenty of room to do and be better. Please take a bit of time this weekend to pray. God's ready to listen, and He's ready to help. Let's not keep that offer to the side. It's time to make this place something to celebrate and be proud of once again.