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1. Some call her Stars and Stripes
Some give her the name Old Glory
As the Red, White and Blue unfurls in the breeze
It’s a flag that tells a story
2. Here I sit safe and secure
With my pencil in my hand
Where we can raise our Flags of Freedom
Unlike so many other lands
3. When we see the Flags of Freedom
Flying freely in the breeze
As we see them from a distance
As they tower above the trees
4. What’s their purpose, what’s their meaning?
What thoughts come to mine?
What significance do they serve?
When we search what do we find?
In ancient times and throughout Scriptures, banners were ensigns of standards declaring allegiance to God, nation or an army. Banners helped lead the Israelites into battle. They were lifted to a height where they could be seen as a reminder symbolizing hope, security and freedom, all of which come at a great cost.
There are 195 sovereign nations in the world, each with its own flag, borders and form of government.
Our flag has nicknames: “the Stars and Stripes”, “Old Glory” and “the Star Spangled Banner.” A great heritage has been passed down to us since the founding of our nation.
Thomas Paine said, “Those who expect to reap the blessings of liberty must undergo the fatigue of supporting it.”
All the noise being created by the political and cultural scene is designed to make us mentally, emotionally, and spiritually fatigued. But the Scriptures tell us “not to grow weary in doing good for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up” (Galatians 6:9).
Jesus and His disciples experienced fatigue (John 4:6; Matthew 8:24-25) as did our Founding Fathers, but they persevered and as a result gained great victories.
Our flag has great significance. What a privilege to be a citizen of the United States. As Americans we should proudly pledge allegiance to our flag and stand tall when we sing America’s Anthem.
How frequently if ever does that happen? How sad that we live in a world where 7 million people starve to death each year and millions more suffer under oppression because of their belief and political systems.
What kind of governments rule over these people? Why are so many people from other countries trying to enter America? In India they worship and feed each cow enough grain to feed 10 people while starvation is rampant.
What we believe and how we are educated matters. As Christians we send missionaries beyond our borders with the message of the Gospel. Here at home we are to build on the foundation of the Gospel as did our Founding Fathers.
Foundations are meant to be built upon (Matthew 7:24-29). We must exercise our spiritual muscles. We must once again look to the Scriptures and ask our Heavenly Father to fly His Banner over our land, for His Banner over us is love (Solomon 2:4).
Ted Roberts - Princeton