There is little doubt but that America will long be regarded as one of the greatest nations in the annuls of human history. Though vilified by some, our nation is still a bastion for freedom and human rights. However, we have concerns about our nation’s future and an uneasy feeling that we are drifting away from God. Fortunately, at the present time, we still have a right to express our concerns—a right not enjoyed in many places around the globe.

America owes its greatness, not to its financial prosperity or military might, but to its recognition of its own dependency upon God. In 1954, “one nation under God” was added to the Pledge of Allegiance. In 1956, “In God we trust” became our national motto. With varying degrees of success, some have sought to remove all such reminders of God. While our founding fathers safe-guarded against creating a State Church, they had no intention of disregarding the importance of God in building our nation. The Declaration of Independence asserts that we are “endowed by [our] Creator with certain unalienable rights….” We owe our blessings to God who is the giver of “every good and perfect gift” (Jas. 1:17). We must keep in mind that, “Unless the Lord builds the house, They labor in vain who build it…” (Ps. 127:1).

Acknowledging the Lord as our God is an important first-step toward providing our children with the same blessing we enjoyed in being raised up under freedom’s banner. Scripture reminds us: “How blessed are the people whose God is the Lord!” (Ps. 144:15). Profession, however, without performance, is never enough. There must also be on our part a sincere desire to follow after the teachings of the Lord. Scripture says, “Righteousness exalts a nation, But sin is a reproach to any people” (Prov. 14:34). Righteousness, then, is the key to national success. But, what is righteousness? Simply put, righteousness is doing the right thing. We do not determine what is right and wrong. God has already done that in His word. The psalmist says “For all Your commandments are righteousness” (Ps. 119:172). But, he goes on in that verse to point out that “sin is a disgrace to any people.” Our prayers, then, for our rulers at all levels of government, is that such laws and ordinances be enacted that reflect reverence and gratitude toward the God who has so richly blessed us.