Flag Day

by Pastor William C. Mack |  June 14, 2021

Today is “Flag Day”.  'The flag of the United States of America often referred to as the American flag or the U.S. flag, is the national flag of the United States. It consists of thirteen equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom) alternating with white, with a blue rectangle in the canton (referred to specifically as the "union") bearing fifty small, white, five-pointed stars arranged in nine offset horizontal rows, where rows of six stars (top and bottom) alternate with rows of five stars. The 50 stars on the flag represent the 50 states of the United States of America, and the 13 stripes represent the thirteen British colonies that declared independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain and became the first states in the U.S. Nicknames for the flag include the Stars and Stripes, Old Glory, and the Star-Spangled Banner.' (Wikipedia)

On December 3, 1775, our country decided to have its own flag; the “Grand Union flag”. It evolved into a 13-star version on June 14, 1777, and eventually, the current 50-star version was adopted. (Wikipedia)

So….what has this to do with the “holy, Christian Church; the communion of saints”? The Cross, like our flag, is a symbol. As we are commanded by Scripture to be subject “to the governing authorities”, (Romans 13:1) we do so (as far as our faith allows us); proudly serving our closest physical neighbors and blessing those far away. The symbol of the American flag reminds us of the incredible liberty we have and of the many, many men and women who sacrificed themselves or were killed (unwillingly) so that we might have “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness”.

The Cross reminds us, too, of our liberty and freedom from sin, death, and the power of the Devil; properties that are spiritual and eternal. The American flag represents something that is none of those but something that no other nation on earth can proclaim; a republic free of government interference with personal life…..to a lesser extent today, but still a “republic”.

While our flag is under attack both within and without our country today, we serve as patriots gladly; knowing that it was God Himself who created our nation and allowed our ancestors to come here to both give and to proclaim the greatest truth mankind has ever known; the Gospel of Jesus Christ. So let us proudly and LOUDLY sing, “O say can you see by the dawn’s early light, what so proudly we hailed at the twilight’s last gleaming? Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous night, o’er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming. And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air, gave proof to the night that our FLAG was still there! O say does that star-spangled banner yet wave, o’er the land of the free….and the home of the brave?” Yes, praise God it does!  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.