Today is Flag Day! Today would have been my Dad’s 90th birthday! Wally Moede was born and raised in Windom, Minnesota. Dad enlisted in the Marines at age 17. He rose quickly, in 6 months to become a Sgt. in the U.S. Marines in World War II. He served in China and was on a ship that was headed to Pearl harbor after the attack. He also was on a ship full of Marines headed to invade Japan, then President Truman dropped the bombs, saving thousands and thousands of lives and ending the war.
One of my favorite memories of my Dad was when he bought me my first new bike on his birthday!!!! A shiny red bike with baskets on the back for my newspapers, I was a paperboy. That is the kind of Dad I had, he came to serve, not to be served!
Every time I played Johnny Cash’s, “Ragged Old Flag” on the radio people would call me and thank me! It is an all-time favorite! I still cry when I listen to it!
Now I want to share this from Pastor Jerry McCullah………..
On paper this worked pretty well, but in practice we have often been a poor example of “We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
Yes, America has had her problems, but by and large, men and women have held her in such high regard they have voluntarily defended her unto death. That reason standing alone is enough to say that America, warts and all, is still better than any other nation. Something in her is good enough to instill pride and patriotism among her citizens. Also, as bad as some citizen have been treated, for the most part, most of her varied people groups are still vital parts of the whole family that makes up America.
The early American ideal could only work as long as her people had God as their focus. “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord” (Psalm 33:12). Out of the original 55 founding fathers that composed our Constitution, 52 were Christians, and they founded our country on Judeo-Christian morals. God has truly blessed America in incredible ways.
In recent decades, patriotism has waned as has America’s moral standards. Respect for the flag has plummeted to an all-time low. Former leaders have proclaimed that the American flag offends some immigrants and other nations. These same leaders have actually apologized to nations of the world for Americans. Resulting from these things and more are the public displays of hostilities toward our “Grand Ole Flag.” Sadly, “Old Glory” has been walked on and burned by angry uncaring citizens. Many schools and universities have basically banned the display of our precious “Stars and Stripes”.
The only thing the America is lacking is a return to faith and trust in the One true God. Oh to hear men and women and girls and boys saying the Flag Salute with great enthusiasm: “I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”
America needs God. American churches need reviving. America needs a Spiritual Awakening on a grander scale than it has ever experienced in her history. Come on, Church, Pray On