God Bless America?

"God bless America"- a simple phrase that we hold dear, sing about, and fight to keep. But can we truly expect God to bless America? Can we honestly ask Him to bless America?

The recent reports of Nadya Suleman have turned my mental digestive system chewing over the current condition of our "land that (we) love". Sure, I appreciate and take part in the patriotism and many bonuses of living in America. However, I'm compelled once again to take off the rose-colored glasses and see if I can sneak a peak at America through God's eyes. The view? Pretty yucky.

America- a land that has orphanages, adoption agencies, and foster homes that are far more than congested with lonely children. Countless babies, toddlers, children, and teens have no family and may never get one. Meanwhile, we take a woman with no job, house, or husband and say "Sure!" to giving her IVF. The results? 14 children brought into this world and this selfish woman's life to try to satisfy her "dream" of children. Apparently rescuing 14 children out of orphanages or agencies didn't quite fit into Nadya's dream. Through God's eyes? The daily pain of children without families can only conflict with the breakthrough's in science as we pat ourselves on the back for IVF.

America- where after implanting that same woman with six embryos, discussed the options of "selective reduction". Through God's eyes this nice little term is seen as murdering babies. This happens a lot in America, and God sees each and every murder.

America- #1 land of gluttony and obesity as other countries wither with starvation. Every 5 seconds another child dies of hunger related causes. Through God's eyes? You get it.

America- financially savvy? I think not. We are so far into debt and yet seeking more debt to try to "fix" it. I find it repulsive that we claim we're in such a "economical crisis" while the $ figures from Britney Spear's 2008 concerts alone is staggering. We pay trillions to keep Hollywood going and wonder why our own checkbooks look so grim. Meanwhile other countries get trampled by poverty. Through God's eyes? We should be more than ashamed.

America- the media. Let's go there, shall we? America can thank their own precious media for eating disorders, broken marriages, unsatisfied men, and insecure woman (including teens and even young girls). The air-brushed images that women can never live up to and men can never truly find are plastered everywhere for us to see. If God did not create $ex, I wonder how we would advertise? Potato chips, toothpaste, perfume, cars... our media finds a way to incorporate a God created blessing and turn it into a cheapened, unattainable forgery. Our movies roll around in our own vomit as we revel and amuse ourselves with horror upon horror and sin upon sin. Through God's eyes? Yet another part of His amazing and beautiful creation twisted. I can't really fathom what this looks like through God's eyes... and I can't fathom how longsuffering He is.

I know I dealt with a lot of issues here without really dealing with them. That wasn't my goal. My point of this is also not to stop waving your American flag, move to Canada, or feel sad. My point of this is to encourage you stop and pause. Think for a second. And try to peak through God's eyes. Look at the bigger picture. And ask youself, are you part of the problem, or part of the solution?

So God bless America? I ask instead, "God have mercy on America."