American Dream?

We can look into the Scriptures and see how God works in the lives of nations. In Jeremiah 18, we can read this pronouncement:
7 The instant I speak concerning a nation and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, to pull down, and to destroy it,
8 if that nation against whom I have spoken turns from its evil, I will relent of the disaster that I thought to bring upon it.
9 And the instant I speak concerning a nation and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it,
10 if it does evil in My sight so that it does not obey My voice, then I will relent concerning the good with which I said I would benefit it.

There is a clear principle here - God gives opportunities for nations to either align with Him or turn away.  We have that choice in America today:  to either turn to the Lord, follow His principles, and experience His blessings, or to turn our backs on Him and encounter His judgment.  Unfortunately, in a nation that was founded on principles consistent with the Bible, we are seeing many who do not acknowledge Him.  We have been a blessed people, I believe, but, likewise, I cannot see that God will continue to bless our nation when we collectively have departed from His teachings on the sanctity of life and marriage.  A reversal of the trend starts in our own hearts and penetrates our communities as the Church steps up to do what God has called it to do.

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The prophet Daniel is a man who loved his nation.  In the 9th chapter of the book of Daniel, we see
him interceding for his people:
18 O my God, incline Your ear and hear; open Your eyes and see our desolations, and the city which is called by Your name; for we do not present our supplications before You because of our righteous deeds, but because of Your great mercies.
19 O Lord, hear! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, listen and act! Do not delay for Your own sake, my God, for Your city and Your people are called by Your name."

We have completed our celebration of Independence Day, a holiday that brings to mind the incredible history of our great nation and gives an opportunity for communities to celebrate what is good about our land.

There has been a theme coined by the now-President of the United States: Make America Great Again. Over the weekend at a special rally, the choir of First Baptist Church of Dallas performed a song built around that theme.  Last year, Christian music veteran Leon Patillo recorded a song of the same name.  And, whether or not you think America needs to be great - again - or if it ever ceased to be great, there is a certain patriotic spirit that can unite us as Americans.  And, for the Christian, when you factor in the role of God in the establishment and furtherance of our nation and consider the need for His blessings, there is, I believe, a compatibility between our Christian faith and American patriotism.

The Barna Group recently released a survey about the greatness of America.  The premise was simple: "What Makes America Great?"  The summary of the survey says this:

The main thing Americans love most about their homeland is the opportunity to live the “American Dream.” Almost one quarter (24%) chose “the opportunity to become who you want to be / ‘the American dream,'” followed by four pillars of the American political apparatus: the Constitution (21%), free speech and a free press (21%), freedom of religion (20%) and democracy (20%).

The breakdown of various components by age is not unexpected: among Boomers and Elders, "the Constitution and Bill of Rights are more revered" than among the Millennials and Gen-Xers. "Freedom of religion is almost twice as likely to be a source of pride among Elders than any other generation." The concept of a “melting pot society” is "almost four times less valuable for Elders. The summary says, "Millennials see the greatness of U.S. technology and innovation at a percentage almost three times higher than any of the other groups."

Evangelicals value freedom of religion at a much higher rate than Americans in general - 53% vs. the overall average of 20%.  That group also values our nation's Christian roots at a rate of 40% vs. the 11% average of all Americans. In an interesting turn, "Evangelicals have a low view of the Bill of Rights (2%) and freedom of speech / freedom of the press (6%)..."

The survey notes that: 

Practicing Christians similarly value religious freedom (34%) and Christian heritage (23%), but share more in the rest of the country’s level of pride about the Bill of Rights (10%) and freedom of speech / free press (13%).

I couldn't help but think of a book I read a few years ago that called Christians to turn aside from the pursuit of the American Dream.  That would be David Platt's Radical.  In an interview with The Christian Post, Platt stated:

I believe that the gospel and the American Dream have fundamentally different starting points. The American Dream begins with self, exalts self, says you are inherently good and you have in you what it takes to be successful so do all you can, work with everything you have to make much of yourself.

The gospel's starting point is completely different. The gospel begins with God, the reality that we were created to exalt his name to the ends of the earth. I am not inherently good. The gospel tells me that I am inherently evil and I need someone else to save me. The self is crucified from the start in the gospel. So from that starting point everything changes. Now it is not what I have in me but about what God provides in me. It is not about my life but the life of Christ. It is not about me making much of myself, it is about me making much of God.

Casting Crowns recorded a song on their debut album called, American Dream, which stressed the importance of a strong foundation.  It's a story song about a man named Jack chasing that dream and coming up empty.  Here are a few lyrics (from New Release Today):

He used to say, "Whoever dies with the most toys wins"

But if he loses his soul, what has he gained in the end

I'll take a shack on a rock

Over a castle in the sand

Now he works all day and cries alone at night

It's not getting any better

Looks like he's running out of time

'Cause he worked and he built with his own two hands

And he poured all he had in a castle made with sand

But the wind and the rain are coming crashing in

Time will tell just how long his kingdom stands

His kingdom stands

So, what makes America great?  The Barna survey points to the pursuit of an American dream.  I would make the case that the responses of Christians in the survey point to the freedom to pursue God's dream for us. That's what we have to keep in focus - we can rejoice in the greatness of America and be thankful for our country - and we should. Oh, and by the way, we can appreciate those who have fought and continue to serve to make America free.  But, we recognize that we are called to make a better America by sharing the love of Christ and living our lives based on His firm foundation. We don't worship America, but we worship God and practice our faith, something that we are generally free to do in this country.