Devotion for October 19, 2015 – THIS IS MY COUNTRY

THIS IS MY COUNTRY

Isaiah 1:4-7, "Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the LORD, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward.  5 Why should ye be stricken any more? ye will revolt more and more: the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint.  6 From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores: they have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with ointment.  7 Your country is desolate, your cities are burned with fire: your land, strangers devour it in your presence, and it is desolate, as overthrown by strangers.”
 
Roger and his sister Jean were working in their garden as Mike rode by on his bicycle.  “Hey, Roger!” he called, “how about playing in the park?”  “Not now, “Roger called back.”Gotta get all the weeds pulled here first.”  Mike walked over and asked, “What’s special about this garden?”
 
“Well, our dad gave us this corner for our own, and we promised to take care of it.  Besides we get to eat the vegetables ourselves.”  “OK, Mike said, “When you’re done, we can play.”  He grinned and sped away.
 
As he rode along, he thought about Roger’s saying that the garden was their very own.  It reminded him of the song he learned in school:

          “This is my country!  Land of my birth.
          This in my country!  Grandest on Earth!
          I pledge thee allegiance, America the bold.
          For this is my country, to have and to hold.”
 
“I guess America does belong to me and everyone who are citizens,” he thought.
 
At dinner that evening Mike spoke up, “Dad, when something really belongs to you, you’re proud of it, aren’t you?”  “Yes, son, what do you have in mind?”  Then Mike explained how he had started thinking about America after what Roger had told him about his garden.  “If America belongs to us,” Mike added, “we should be proud of it and take care to keep it a good land.”
 
“How can we take care of such a great big country?” asked his sister, Vicki.
 
Mother had an idea.  “We all should take care of the part where we live.”  “That might mean a lot of things,” commented Dad.
 
“Like what?” everyone asked.  They were all interested.  Mike guessed first.  “Something like taking care of one corner of a garden, like Roger and Jean are doing?”
 
“That’s exactly it!” said his father.  “In a garden you plant seed, water it, and then work hard to keep out the weeds that would choke out the good things you planted.  When it comes to taking care of your country, you plant good things like honesty, friendliness, helpfulness, patriotism, love…” 
 
“That’s why you children have chores and errands here,” said Mother.  “Yes, indeed,” Dad continued, “and the weeds you have to watch for are things like laziness, selfishness, false pride and hatred.”
 
“I think I understand what you mean, Dad.  But that isn’t easy,” said Mike.
 
“Well children, you don’t have to do it alone.  Even grown-ups can’t.  God’s book, the Bible, tell us how He can give us the power to live right.  But first, the Bible teaches we have all rebelled against God and His rules.  God calls that sin.  The Bible teaches that as long as we refuse to obey God we are not free to do what is right.”
 
“What can we do?” the children asked.  Their father explained, “God sent His Son Jesus Christ to die for your sins on the Cross.  Jesus has paid all the penalty for your sins.  What you must do is repent of those sins, ask forgiveness and ask Him to come into your heart and save your soul and become your Savior.  When Jesus comes into your life then you can do what is right because He is living through you.”
 
“Does Jesus come into our lives just by our asking?”  Mike wanted to know.  “Yes, Mike, He does.  He did it for your mother and me several years ago.”  “Then I want to ask Him right now,” determined Mike.  “Me too!” said Vicki.  “If everyone loved Jesus we wouldn’t have so many weeds.”
 
After Mike and Vicki had prayed to receive Jesus as their personal Savior, their father prayed: “Dear God, thank you for Mike and Vicki asking You into their hearts and lives.  Help them to love you more every day.  And hel[ them to care for this great country You have given us.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
 
After prayer, Mike said to his sister, “Vicki, let’s tell Roger and Jean how to really make this country great.”  And off they went.

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