I Pledge My Allegiance

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. Those are powerful words, and they mean a lot to me. Not just on this Independence Day, but every day. I've told you on other patriotic days that have come before how much I love my country and my freedom. How thankful I am, both to my God who has allowed me to live with this liberty, and to the soldiers who gave their lives so that I could live free. I can't think on that thought for very long, because tears of gratefulness will come as I begin to mourn for those who have gone before me and paid such a price. My liberty means everything to me, because in it I can freely worship and proclaim my sweet Saviour. Yesterday at the conclusion of the morning message, a powerful short video was played as the offering was being taken at my church. I loved it's message and I took notes from it to share with you, but now I can't find them, so I'll just tell you about it as I remember it. The foundation was the pledge of allegiance that we began with. The pledge that we recited daily as children. The pledge that we've repeated thousands of times by the time you reach my age. The focus of the video was the word allegiance. That's what we're promising, as we recite that pledge. We're promising our allegiance. Allegiance means a solemn commitment and loyalty to a group or cause. It implies obedience and faithfulness. I like that. It makes me realize that there is not much in this life to which I would offer my allegiance. Not many causes or groups worthy of such commitment and devotion. I take such promises very seriously. I love my country, and I promise my allegiance to it. With all I have. With every fiber of my being. I pledge that to the flag of the United Sates of America. This is my country. I love it dearly. But this country is not my home. I am just passing through here on my journey. My home is heaven. And my ultimate and total allegiance is to the Lord Jesus Christ, who loved me and gave Himself for me. For my freedom. Not just my freedom as I live my life on this earth, but my ultimate freedom. Freedom from the penalty of sin. Freedom that means my liberty in Christ. I am truly free. I've told you before, the name Barbara means a stranger. A foreigner. A stranger in a strange land. I love that. I embrace it with everything that's in me. With all of my heart. I love this country, and I love my freedom. I absolutely do pledge my allegiance to it's flag and all that it stands for. I solemnly think on the words as I say them, often with goosebumps and tears. But this country is not my home.

This world is not my home, I'm just a passin' through, My treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue; The angels beckon me from heaven's open door And I can't feel at home in this world anymore.

Hebrews 11:13~ "These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth." Jesus is that promise, and in Him I pledge my ultimate and immutable allegiance. This Dear One, Who gave His life for me. So that I could be truly free.