Where Are You, America?

I love my homeland. I am American, through and through. I love the Star-Spangled Banner, freedom and McDonald's. I watched when terrorists attacked our blessed nation, flying our own commercial planes into a pair of towers in New York, a government building in Washington, and a field in Pennsylvania.

I watched as we dropped bombs on Afghanistan and Iraq, all in the name of democracy and freedom, and as our soldiers came home, in either a plane or flag-draped casket.

I watched as an economic crisis crippled my country.

I watched as the fruits of the Civil Rights Movement came alive, and the United States voted in a minority president.

I watched this past year, as a World Cup team fought their way to a top-16 finish, and a hockey team got a silver medal.

I watched America react to our own problems, like city-sinking hurricanes and beach-killing oil spills.

I watched America react to other nations' problems, like earthquakes and tsunamis.

All of this, and so much more, has happened in the last ten years. Ten years ago, I was in third grade. Ten years ago, a former president's son was being sworn into the same office. Ten years ago, it was easier to fly on a plane. Ten years ago, the New York skyline was different, and it was a time of peace in the United States. No one was worried about topics like recessions, the Patriot Act, Bin Laden or Saddam. No levees had broken in New Orleans, and no earthquakes had flattened Haiti. As I sit here, looking back at the tragedies and triumphs of my country, the land of the free and the home of the brave, tears well in my eyes. Nothing, however, breaks my heart more than our biggest tragedy.

America, we have forgotten God.

"The cultural Christianity of America is the Kingdom of God's worst enemy. Like a flu shot, it inoculates people to the real thing."

This quote was featured on a post I had on my old blog. It was one of my final posts on the now-lifeless blog, known as "Life in a Mason Jar of Lightning Bugs" before the lightning bug (me) was set free. This quote, unfortunately, is not my own. It was found by looking at a Twitter feed belonging to my family friend, Trent Barnett (here's his blog). Trent got it from someone else, but the source isn't important; the words are.

We live in a nation of "Christians." People would deny this; we are, after all, founded on a principle of religious freedom. And yes, Christians are not as prominent on the grand stage of America as they once were. Yet, as I browse through my Facebook friends (ok, so I Facebook stalk. You do too. Admit it.), I see an overwhelming majority of them with the label "Christian." I see athletes pointing upward to God after a home run or touchdown daily. Every time I'm in traffic, I see an incredibly tacky bumper sticker, with something to do with God on it. Jesus is everywhere.

You may now be wondering how, if Jesus is, in fact, everywhere, I can claim that America has forgotten God. It's really simple: what does God mean to you? How do you plan on getting to Heaven? Does being a Christian impact your life?

Of course it does, you say. You're a good person. You give a five to the Salvation Army bell ringer several times during Christmas. You attend church some (or maybe a lot) and maybe even drop a few bucks in the plate as it's passed. You have a Christian fish on you car. You "Like" one of the following on Facebook: "Jesus", "Jesus Christ", "The Jesus Revolution Movement", "The Bible", or "I Bet Jesus Can Get More Fans Than Any Other Page". You probably listen to Air 1's Christian radio station, or maybe just one modern Christian artist like: Chris Tomlin, David Crowder, Skillet, Family Force 5, or Lecrae, among others.

You've been baptized. You sing along in worship. You own a Bible, and read it when you get the chance. You pray occasionally. You try not to cuss, drink, or smoke. Maybe you are even staying a virgin before marriage. This is enough, right?

I am here to tell you that you can do all of that...and still go to Hell.

I'm as guilty of this as anyone: we try really hard to "be good" and please Jesus. Here's a heads-up:

"23 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." -Romans 3:23, HCSB

You've screwed up, somewhere, and sinned. You lied. You cheated. You disrespected your parents. You stole something. You were jealous. Every single person has: me, you, your neighbor, your pastor; no one is exempt. You may have gone down those things I listed earlier and checked off every single one of them. Kudos. It isn't getting you anywhere closer to God.

"26 Then you [so-called "Christians"] will say, 'We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets!' 27 But He will say, 'I tell you, I don't know you or where you're from. Get away from Me, all you workers of unrighteousness!'" -Luke 13:26-27, HCSB

Did you catch that? There will be people who die, thinking they are "saved", and come before the God of the universe. These people will be completely confident that when they meet up with Jesus after their lives, He will issue them their golden ticket and they will march into Heaven. Yet, they will be completely stunned when Jesus looks at them and says that He does not know them. The Bible goes on to say that there will be a "gnashing of teeth in that place." Hell is that place.

Ever seen a video of a rabid animal, like a dog? Maybe you've seen Old Yeller? That's how I picture "gnashing of teeth." I picture Hell as a place of so much agony that people appear as upset as rabid animals. And there will be people that believed they were Christians there. That's scary!

I don't write this to make you doubt your salvation. If you truly know that you are saved and that Jesus will say He knows you, then the majority of this post isn't for you. If you have ever wondered, however, if you are really a Christian, then don't miss the next few paragraphs.

Yes, we all fall short of the glory of God. We cannot do enough to save ourselves, and this is where I believe America has forgotten God. We have placed our faith in the acts of going to church, being good, and other things instead of God. If we do what we "are supposed to do," we will be "fine." That's quite arrogant, don't ya think? I mean, we supposedly believe that Jesus came to Earth and died on a cross to save us, and yet we still feel that we have to go down a checklist of deeds to punch our ticket to Heaven? If we can save ourselves, what good did Jesus do? What point was His suffering and death for? Are we capable of doing more than Christ, the Creator of the universe? Really?

It is the self-centered, diluted Christianity that has led America's Christians to quit caring. We don't care, really, about anyone. The poor of our country are still poor. The majority of the world, as in 53% of the billions of people alive, are living on less than $2 a day (stat from Crazy Love by Francis Chan). People we work with, go to school with, and see everyday are suffering in all kinds of ways. Are you reaching out to anyone? If we are focused on ourselves, we cannot adequately watch out for anyone else, and lots of people need someone to love them.

Let me tell you now: it is very easy to ensure your salvation, so you can quit focusing on saving yourself and start focusing on others: let go. Quit trying. You won't save yourself, because you can't. Only Jesus can.

"9 if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 With the heart one believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth one confesses, resulting in salvation. 11 Now the Scripture says, No one who believes on Him will be put to shame, 12 for there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, since the same Lord of all is rich to all who call on Him. 13 For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." -Romans 10:9-13, HCSB

It's that easy. Believe that Jesus is Lord and that God raised Him from the dead (by the way, He is God, and therefore raised Himself from the dead). That's all it takes. Let go, America. Please, I'm begging you. I know it is hard; I struggle with letting go of control as much as anyone. But we cannot do this on our own. If we try to do it on our own, all we will be doing is setting ourselves up to a future of teeth gnashing, and condemning the world to the same fate. Let's stop focusing on ourselves, and instead focus on One who really can save the world. Let's remember God.

Please, take time to think about what I've just said. Pray over it, mull it over. There is no greater Truth in the world than that of Jesus Christ. Below, I have posted a video, and I ask that you watch it while you think. Contact me with anything. Thanks. I love you, and so does Christ. Remember Him.