National Anthems

    This year for our year-end program, we attempted to sing the national anthem of Egypt. On other programs we have also allowed the audience to suffer through the German, Hungarian, and English anthems.            

    How much have you considered national anthems? To my knowledge, every country has one. Most talk about loyalty to one's country and being freed through war from the tyranny of another. They often mention unity and standing together. Because there is so little that can be said that applies to all the people of one place without being offensive, national anthems also tend to be a bit generic.
    Allow your mind to explore for just a little bit the curious idea of an anthem for Christians everywhere. We are all part of the same kingdom. There are many songs that bring our focus to what all Christians have in common. We, too, talk of loyalty, of battles fought and won, of release from chains of tyranny, of unity and hope. But the anthem of a Christian would also speak of a Savior who shed His blood for us because of love for every person, even those who would not love Him back. 
    Many songs could be the Christian anthem. Would one choose "Amazing Grace?" "What a Friend We Have in Jesus?" "Tell Me the Old, Old Story?" 

    But it is not the rousing words of any song that draws us closer. It is the power of the resurrected Christ that unites us. The words of any song devoted to our Heavenly Father has the ability to draw together those whose goal is Heaven. Because of the great common factor of the God we worship, we are able to sing any song in unity, for we are "One in the bond of love."

    I don't feel I appreciate enough the unity of one Church, one doctrine, and one God. This unity is one of the greatest everyday miracles we have a chance to behold, yet it is so easy to get caught up in the petty things of life that we somehow miss the beauty of what we actually have. I want to become more conscious of God's blessing of unity and thank Him for it.

  

  Many of us likely have our personal anthem that has been a special encouragement to us as we walk the Christian way. Some of us have songs that remain our anthem only until a need is met and then is replaced with a new one. One of my personal anthems has been "Does Jesus Care?" I'd love to hear what your personal anthem is, either in the comments or a personal message.