Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for ‘God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.’ Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. - 1 Peter 5:5-7. 

This week a federal appeals court in the United States ruled that reciting the Pledge of Allegiance in public schools is an unconstitutional “endorsement of religion” because of the phrase “under God” that was added in 1954 by Congress. However, the court that made the ruling is already having second thoughts because of the tremendous outrage expressed by the American people, the President, legislators, and other officials. I liked what Sen. Charles Grassley of Iowa said and I hope it is true, “This decision is so much out of the mainstream of thinking of Americans and the culture and values that we hold in America, that any Congressman that voted to take it out would be putting his tenure in Congress in jeopardy at the next election.” 

(Thankfully, the Supreme Court overturned the ruling by the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals on June 14, 2004 and the “under God” phrase remains in the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag of the United States of America.) 

“Under God.” Only two words but they obviously have tremendous meaning for millions of people. Not only should our nation be “under God” but also hopefully every Christian should consider themselves to be under God. To receive Jesus as our Savior we must humble ourselves to the point of realization and acknowledgement that we cannot save ourselves. We are therefore “under God” if we know Jesus as our personal Savior. 

As Christians we should also be “under God” in every area of our lives. Each day we make many decisions, do we consider God’s will, or do we exclude Him? Are those decisions “under God” or are they under our own personal desires. This thought can be extended to everything in our lives from our marriages to our careers. 

Joshua addressed this very well bringing the people to a time of decision as he said, “And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord (Joshua 24:15).” 

We too have a choice to make. Will we choose to serve the One True Living God humbling ourselves under His mighty hand or will we serve ourselves? But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.