Last year I wrote that I am one of those who still fly the flag with pride. This seems to be falling out of favor among many. I fly the flag because it is a reminder to this grandson of Swedish immigrants that this country was built on Freedom. This country continues to remain the greatest experiment of human freedom. This flag speaks to me of freedom. Freedom to welcome the stranger into our midst. Freedom to have my regular haircut by an American who is a Palestinian Muslim. Freedom to remember those who died to defend those very ideals.

Now, I grant that this has not always gone well. We have abused those very freedoms we love so dearly. We have failed to honor and love those made in the image of God. We continue to be plagued with racism. We continue to struggle with many national sins and our failures are many.

But I still fly my flag. I fly my flag because it reminds me that we live in a country where we can own our failures and be called to repentance with no fear of punishment or imprisonment.

As I fly the flag I breathe a prayer that God might shed His grace on us and lead us with the light from above.

Yes, we often live in and react from fear rather than from faith. We are prone to seek peace through violence and find security in things rather than in God. We abandon the hungry, the sick, and the homeless and we pursue wealth at all costs. Forgive us Lord for our hubris and our short-sighted behavior. Yet you love us still.

That is why as I fly my flag I breathe a prayer that God would mend out every flaw. Our sins and our flaws are many – but God’s grace is abundant and free. May God mend our every flaw!