The Third Road
A comedian once said, tongue-in-cheek, “We stand at a crossroads. Down one path lies total annihilation and destruction. Down the other path is the apocalypse. I hope we choose the right road.”
Many today are sounding similar, alarm bells over our future as a people… and as a country. We have followed a slippery, moral slope into ethical confusion and chaos and, as a whole, have written God out of our vocabulary except to punctuate the occasional profanity.
There truly seems, to many, that there is no hopeful future for America: no “right road” to choose. And yet, there is a remnant of people in this country who are disciples of the crucified Lamb. These people, loyal first to a kingdom that cannot be perceived with human eyes, labor faithfully in prayer for our nation. We are still, in spite of all that is happening, “one nation under God.”
They take that phrase, not as a clever, emphatic ending to the pledge of allegiance, but as a statement of faith. And so, they pray. They pray for the leadership of our country, no matter their political affiliation because the Bible says to do so. (1 Timothy 2:1-2).
And they believe something else. They believe that God is not finished with our great land. While we may be living in cloudy times and the country is dividing along a number of different, battle lines, God can… God will… continue to use this country.
So there really is a third road that can be taken. Options one and two, according to the comedian, are not the only ones.
The third road is the road that leads us back to the God who founded our republic, and who wants to bless it again. And so, as one of those who follow the crucified One, and who prays for our nation and its leadership, I offer my prayer for America on this our 242 birthday as a country.
And as we return in repentance and faith, may God TRULY bless America!
“IF my people, who are called by My Name, will humble themselves and pray, and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, will forgive their sin, and heal their land.”