THE STARS AND STRIPES

Isaiah 11:10, 11b  "In that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples; the nations will rally to him and his place of rest will be glorious.  In that day the Lord will reach out his hand a second time to reclaim the remnant that is left of his people...."

I weep before starting this, I know there is something special about this Father that you want to tell me.  The Holy Spirit is so strong here, I cannot help but weep.  The stars and stripes.  I have a feeling we are not going to be talking about the flag only.  We sometimes think of the flag as a banner, but it is not the flag that stands for the people right now, in this time, it is our Lord Jesus that is as the flag, flying over us as a banner, a banner of protection.  For years, we have seen our flag, the stars and stripes as a sort of banner flying over our nation protecting us.  What it stood for, the price that had been paid in lives, in emptiness in families, costly but worth the cost to have the protection it stood for, the freedom.  We are now seeing how easily it can be gone.  Little by little, our freedom is being chipped away, the costs of that freedom being disrespected.

The only real freedom, the only real banner than can fly freely, is the banner of our Lord.  The stars, the multitude of stars that surround Him as He sweeps across the sky, hovering over us, protecting His own, letting us know He is there, that we have nothing to fear.  He sees us as we grow more and more uneasy with the tide of things in our country.  The downfall of our government.  How often we have sent money and help to other countries that were failing, to shore up their walls, build them back up.  And now, the dogs are barking at our heels, laughing governments joke at our expense, our own rulers slowing letting go of our country, watching the stars fade on our flag, selling us out to the highest bidders.....BUT our Lord, He stands high above us, the Banner of our Salvation, the Banner of our Freedom, the Banner of our Peace, holding out His hands offering once again,"Come to Me, turn from your wicked ways, repent, return to Me".  His Banner over us is Love. 

Why is it that not many seem to notice our Lord up there, standing over us, His hand moving back and forth, like a soothing ointment; no one notices until things get so bad.  Is another 9/11 going to have to happen before our country turns back to God?  Remember how people flocked to churches, how they worshiped the Lord and sang praises to Him; churches were full again, people helped one another, real brotherhood moved peoples hearts.  Then, it was back to, well I was going to say where we were, but it is worse now.  So much worse. 

The stripes....you know what the stripes are.  The many, horrible stripes that were applied to our Savior's back.  He stood, took the stripes, each time the whip hit Him, He was thinking of me, of you.  He was thinking of diseases, knowing there would be cancer, heart disease, diabetes, so many more. He was knowing as He stood there that those stripes would be for us, for the healing of our diseases, the healing of the minds of the people, the restoration of spirits, the healing of our nations. He waits, His offer of healing never rescinds, stands open for anyone to receive...

My Lord, You are so worthy to be praised.  At all times, You should be praised.  One day, my Lord, the nations will rally to You.  They will bow down, they will fall on their faces before You and worship You.  All will repent, openly proclaim their love and adoration for You, and You will reclaim Your peoples, You will draw all that worship unto You. You will be glorified above all, You will be exalted, You will be worshiped in spirit and truth.

This 2nd day of July, 2011, as Old Glory, the Stars and Stripes fly over so many homes, so many businesses, standing high on poles, this weekend, the birthday of our country, I cherish our flag Lord, for which it stands; but I cannot but think of the Banner I adore, the Banner whose Stars light up the sky,  by whose Stripes I was healed and under whose Banner  I remain safe, protected, and free.  This freedom that will never end, will never pass away.