God Bless America

Yesterday my friend Marika and I were talking - musing about how horribly wicked our country is- how immoral, and disobedient to seemingly all of God's commandments.

We were talking about this verse- which talks about this country :

2 Ne. 1: 7

7 Wherefore, this land is consecrated unto him whom he shall bring. And if it so be that they shall serve him according to the commandments which he hath given, it shall be a land of liberty unto them; wherefore, they shall never be brought down into captivity; if so, it shall be because of iniquity; for if iniquity shall abound cursed shall be the land for their sakes, but unto the righteous it shall be blessed forever.

So- what do you think? Do the people of this country serve the Lord according to the commandments which he as given? Or- is it full of iniquity? Are we cursed or blessed?

I thought at the time, "both"- and today, I was reading in 3 Nephi- chapter 19- where Christ is speaking:

29 Father, I pray not for the world, but for those whom thou hast given me out of the world, because of their faith, that they may be purified in me, that I may be in them as thou, Father, art in me, that we may be one, that I may be glorified in them.

Perhaps our intercessor, our advocate with the father, our Savior Jesus Christ doesn't necessarily ask the father that blessings be showered on this great country, as there are so many in it that are so far from him, and do not think of him, or believe in him. But I know there are many- in many different churches across our nation that believe in Christ, that read of him, that pray to him. There are so many out there that care more of Christ than the "world". I am sure that he is still our advocate, and he will continue to be, so long as we continue to believe and have faith in him. And perhaps today he might say the same: "I pray not for the world, but for those whom thou hast given me out of the world, because of their faith."

Painting by Mitchell Tolle