I Pledge Allegiance…
“Who is left among you that saw this house in her first glory? and how do you see it now? is it not in your eyes in comparison of it as nothing?” Haggai 2:3
Haggai was one of the Old Testament minor prophets who preached to those who had returned to Jerusalem from captivity in Babylon to encourage them to finish rebuilding the temple that had been destroyed by the Babylonians. Haggai asked the Babylonian exiles if any of them remembered how beautiful and glorious the house that Solomon built was before its destruction. God’s people had been away from their beloved city of Jerusalem for about 70 years, thus there likely weren’t very many who remembered the old city. Of course, those who longed for return to Jerusalem would have told their children and grandchildren about its magnificence which created images in the minds of the younger generations.
After all those years, though, the temple was nothing compared to the original structure. The enemy had destroyed much of it because they were not worshippers of the God of Israel and had no respect for God’s house. The temple was the place where the priests sacrificed for the sins of the people. It also contained the Holy of Holies where God accepted the sacrifices as an atonement for sin until such time that Christ came to make that final sacrifice. The temple was rebuilt about 516 B.C., refurbished by Herod and his grandson between 20 B.C. and 64 A.D., and completely destroyed again in 70 A.D. by the Romans.
Have you ever grieved over something that you have lost? I am not talking about a loved one, but about something tangible or intangible that seems to be gone forever. I am grieving over the seeming loss of our once great nation which was founded on Biblical principles and the right to worship as one desires without interference from secular government. I remember being taught in school to honor the flag, respect the police, obey our parents, and fear God. There were absolutes of right and wrong. Both political parties stood up for America, and she was respected around the world as the land of the free and the home of the brave. She was never perfect for she was made up of imperfect people, but those same people valued the freedom and opportunities afforded by a nation built through hard work and the sacrifices made by many.
As I watch the news reports everyday, I get more and more depressed over the state of our country and the disrespectful way that we are treating each other. It makes me wonder if America can ever return to that “sweet land of liberty”, opportunity, and civility that we once had. Without repentance and turning back to God, I am not very optimistic. I am going to do what I can to let my light shine so that folks can see that there is hope in serving a true and living Savior, and that America is worth saving.