I pledge allegiance

 

It’s a grand old flag, it’s a high-flying flag, and forever in peace may she wave.

Stormy winds can wear out even the toughest piece of cloth, shredding and tearing it, wrapping its sun-faded design round a shaky pole until the flag no longer resembles itself. I grew up pledging allegiance to the flag of a country which is fast fading, tearing and shredding into an unrecognisable rag, a country where the rule of law is being dismantled in front of our eyes.

I have pledged my allegiance to the cross, symbol of the love of the Almighty God whose grace and mercy have saved me. The cross is also a symbol of the justice of God, who couldn’t turn a blind eye to sin but instead came himself in the person of Jesus Christ to pay the price of that sin, to ensure that justice was done.

The flag and the cross are symbols only, though. If my heart has not been circumcised and changed forever by my love for God, wearing a trinket round my neck is meaningless.

We live in turbulent times, where our actions reveal our hearts’ attitudes. If we carry the love of Christ in our hearts, we will declare that through our compassion and kindness, our mercy and grace, our love for all humanity because Jesus died for the sins of the whole world. Every human being is made in the image of God. Let’s never forget that.

Lord, help us to respect one another, to love one another, to co-operate with and work alongside one another of every race and creed and identity. May we reveal our allegiance to you in the attitudes of our hearts, our minds, our words and our actions.

We declare the power of love, and the lordship of Jesus Christ. This is His world, which he has redeemed.