Is America a Christian Nation
My father in law recently asked if America was a Christian nation. My immediate response was “we’re definitely not acting like it”. Days later my family excitedly watched the matchup between our local Cincinnati Bengals and the Buffalo Bills. No one could predict what would happen next.
Damar Hamlin made a “mundane” tackle which changed the course of his life and focused the American news cycle on faith. Within moments of his tackle, everyone on the field knew something went horribly wrong.
What was the response of these men and women on the field watching EMTs save Damar’s life? Did they form a committee to consider the ramifications of different courses of action? Nope. They quickly huddled up, wept and prayed. Twitter blew up with prayer. ESPN anchors prayed on air. A nation prayed and prayed.
Damar returned to Buffalo to cheer on his team who will fittingly play the Bengals again in the playoffs. We will never know if prayers changed anything at all. What we do know is this — genuine prayer honors God.
Hebrews 11:6 without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.
Hearing questions about America as a Christian Nation may conjure up images of America’s past. The history of American Christianity is filled with beautiful and ugly episodes. Do I want to return to the days where our nation was founded and the Native population was decimated? How about the deep South in 20th century? At the same time, do I want to leave a non-Christian country behind for my kids?
There is a specific episode where I will forever believe prayer impacted my reality. Tracy had traveled to India, while the kids and I stayed at home. She was 11 hours ahead in the day. Earlier that day, I took Libby to our family doctor with an ear infection. Libby had also experienced repeated bouts of asthma, bronchitis and pneumonia requiring a nightly breathing treatment. On this particular day, even the nightly treatment failed to calm her breathing and I was afraid to put her to bed.
Very late that night, I phoned Tracy in a panic not knowing what to do. In my weakness, I told Tracy she needed to come home. Fortunately, she helped me come to my sense and decided I’d take Libby to the E.R. Libby’s breathing finally settled down and the doctor said she had NO ear infection and had no breathing issue. Arriving home exhausted, I put Libby to bed.
The next morning I spoke to Tracy. She let me know our friends in India prayed repeated and intensely for Libby. In an odd twist another girl nearly the same age as Libby stumbled into the church in this Indian slum. The little girl also had asthma and was experiencing significant breathing challenges. She too was prayed for and healed. At the same time our daughter was healed through prayer.
Without a doubt I believe God answered these prayers, it’s simply too coincidental. Years later, the 2 bad breathers met in India.
It’s more difficult to “prove” prayer changed Damar Hamlin’s health. It is clear the prayers for Damar impacted his teammates. Here’s what Damar’s QB Josh Allen recently said,
“[there was] just kind of a spiritual awakening really for me, and I know for a lot of other people that maybe didn’t have the strongest belief, or wasn’t one of the biggest, strongest Christian followers,” Allen said on “Kyle Brandt’s Basement.”
The evening our family witnessed Damar’s injury, I wrestled with a nagging thought I should pray out loud; after 30’ish minutes I finally muttered something.
Why’d it take me 30 minutes to ask? Why hesistate at all? If I truly believe in the same God who rose Christ from the dead is available anywhere and anytime, why do I hesitate to pray about the “mundane” stuff?
What’s mundane — maybe the nagging work challenge? Perhaps my finances? Or how to relate to my kids effectively. What about my kids’ friends, future spouses and faith? Am I excited about my faith where it’s positively impacting in my home, work and community?
Even if the prayer is not “answered” I’ve often found it changes my perspective of the situation. It may even impact a nation or someone on my team, just like it did for Josh Allen.
So, is America a Christian nation?
It seems we are when pushed to the brink — like 9/11 or watching a healthy young man with his entire life ahead reach precariously near to death.
Perhaps the way of a Christian nation starts with tapping into the power of individual prayers offered during both the spectacular and mundane moments of everyday living.
