Comments on: God of the Nations http://fbcbenbrook.wordpress.com/2008/05/06/god-of-the-nations/ "Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the Lord" (Lamentations 3.40) Wed, 23 Dec 2009 18:27:01 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: tpylant http://fbcbenbrook.wordpress.com/2008/05/06/god-of-the-nations/#comment-52 tpylant Fri, 09 May 2008 12:23:26 +0000 http://fbcbenbrook.wordpress.com/?p=25#comment-52 Bret, Welcome to the party! Thanks for stopping by. I think you have articulated the perfect balance between patriotism and being a Kingdom person, living in gratitude for the gifts we have been given and being good stewards of those gifts as directed by the King. Often, that will cause us to defend our nation with our lives, and other times that will lead us to speak out against the beliefs and actions of our own government that have been injust or unrighteous. Todd Bret,

Welcome to the party! Thanks for stopping by.

I think you have articulated the perfect balance between patriotism and being a Kingdom person, living in gratitude for the gifts we have been given and being good stewards of those gifts as directed by the King. Often, that will cause us to defend our nation with our lives, and other times that will lead us to speak out against the beliefs and actions of our own government that have been injust or unrighteous.

Todd

]]> By: Bret Early http://fbcbenbrook.wordpress.com/2008/05/06/god-of-the-nations/#comment-51 Bret Early Fri, 09 May 2008 00:29:09 +0000 http://fbcbenbrook.wordpress.com/?p=25#comment-51 I appreciate all of your thought provoking articles…….. Personally, I don’t “struggle with the tension between patriotism (or nationalism) and the Kingdom of God.” I am very proud and humbled by the sacrifices that have been made and continue to be made to keep our nation safe and free. However, I view the freedom and prosperity that we currently experience as a gift from God and not something that we earned or maybe even deserve. In this context I can be thankful for the gift from God while being mindful of the suffering in other nations. Thankful and humble but never arrogant or boastful. But we must not take the gift for granted and not “retreat within the peace and prosperity of our own nation.” When we receive a gift from God are we not responsible for what we do with that gift? We should not sit idle. Other thoughts? I appreciate all of your thought provoking articles……..

Personally, I don’t “struggle with the tension between patriotism (or nationalism) and the Kingdom of God.” I am very proud and humbled by the sacrifices that have been made and continue to be made to keep our nation safe and free. However, I view the freedom and prosperity that we currently experience as a gift from God and not something that we earned or maybe even deserve. In this context I can be thankful for the gift from God while being mindful of the suffering in other nations. Thankful and humble but never arrogant or boastful. But we must not take the gift for granted and not “retreat within the peace and prosperity of our own nation.” When we receive a gift from God are we not responsible for what we do with that gift? We should not sit idle. Other thoughts?

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