‘God Bless America’ is a needed prayer

“While the storm clouds gather far across the sea,

Let us swear allegiance to a land that’s free,

Let us all be grateful for a land so fair,

As we raise our voices in a solemn prayer. “

These words are seldom sung but they are the verse to Irving Berlin’s prayer “God Bless America.” Yes, it is a prayer and I’m grateful that America has not banned it but allows it to be sung regularly at ballparks across America. Our nation’s leaders even sung it publicly on the steps of our nation’s Capitol shortly after 9/11.

Do we realize what we are asking God each time we sing it? We are asking him to bless our nation, this land that we love, we are asking him to guide us with his light (the Bible) and stand with us through dark nights and when tragedies occur in our nation. We are asking him to bless us from the mountains to the prairies and to the oceans.

Looking at the documents and writings of our forefathers, it quite is clear that they recognized God as our creator and had respect for his counsel. It seems that over the past 50 to 60 years, our nation has continuously drafted legislation without regards for his counsel. In fact, we are doing everything possible to keep him in a closet.

If we really want God to bless America, we need to welcome him back. My prayer is that America will return to him while Christians still have our religious freedoms.

Fred Dryden

Huntley