Am I Patriotic?

   "I  do solemnly swear  that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God."*

I took this oath when I joined the Air Force and each time I reenlisted.  To me, joining the military was the epitome of patriotism.  I still get chills when I watch a military parade, hear the National Anthem, observe the military honor guard at Arlington or a military funeral, visit the monuments to the fallen in Washington DC.  I love songs such as God Bless America, America the Beautiful, This Land is Your Land, God Bless the USA, The Battle Hymn of the Republic.

However recently I've been rethinking patriotism, at least how it seems to be understood and practiced, especially by Christians.  At the refugee conference this summer, one of the speakers challenged my thinking on this very subject.  To whom is our first loyalty? God? Or Country?  Too many in Evangelical Christianity  elevate country above God.  Right now, our country is straying very far from God.  We are embracing sin as normal, we are persecuting those in our country who hold to Biblical truth.  Our highest offices in the land are violating the Constitution at every turn, and not being held accountable.  

Do I love my country?  Absolutely.  I still think this is the best country on earth. We have been blessed beyond measure, but I feel that the days of blessing are rapidly drawing to a close.  Even though the prophesy I've been reading the past several weeks is specifically about Israel, Judah and Jerusalem, I cannot  help but see it as directed towards us as well.  It is at the same time scary and exciting.  Scary because unless our loved ones who are walking in outright rebellion to God repent, they will suffer tremendous consequences, and exciting because it means that the Lord's return is imminent.

So, am I patriotic?  Yes, but. My loyalty is to God first. 

 *<http://usmilitary.about.com/od/joiningthemilitary/a/oathofenlist.htm>

Music Box

One of the favorite movies from my childhood was Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.  I'm sure you are familiar with it, it was made in 1968 and tells the story of an inventor who's inventions have failed over and over again. He doesn't give up, he's only momentarily discouraged, until his children stumble upon this wonderful car.  After he restores it, they are transported to a horrible land where children are outlawed.   His children are taken captive, and Caracatus and Truly must rescue them.  In order to do so, they disguise themselves as life-size music boxes.  It is at this point that Caracatus discovers that he has fallen in love with Truly, and while she is singing as the music box, yearning for the time when she will be free, he's echoing her words by telling him how much he loves her already, and that she just needs to see that to be free. 

How may times am I like Truly, standing, turning, locked on a music box of my own making while the One who loves me is longing to set me free?