The Rallying Point

“Oh, say can you see, by the dawn’s early light,

 What so proudly we hailed, at the twilight’s last gleaming?

 Whose broad stripes and bright stars, through the perilous fight,

 O’er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming?

 And the rockets red glare, the bombs bursting in air,

 Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.

 O say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave

 O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave?”  *

Over the years as I have stood at the singing of that song, I have many times imagined myself standing along side Francis Scott Key as he stood helplessly on the deck of the British Warship, the HMS Tennant, as it fired salvos against Fort McHenry during the battle of Baltimore on the night of September 13-14, 1814.  I can but sense his despair as the clouds of smoke and char filled the bay while the British mercilessly bombarded the fort throughout the night with the ship’s 12, 24 and 36 pounder long guns.  Then as the morning light began to break through the thick haze, I notice a sudden change in his demeanor as he burst into glorious shouts, and points a shaking arm toward the fort and exclaims, “She still flying!  She’s still flying!

His unshaken trust in Old Glory is a bright and shining example of the Christian’s unfailing trust in the Word of God!  How many times have you gone through a night of tremendous battle, not being able to see for the smoke and char that the enemy of our souls has put before you in order to confuse and threaten your resolve, only to awaken at the break of dawn to observe the truth of God’s Word that you have been standing on, flying high as His standard of victory?  I Thessalonians 5:24 says: “He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it.”  (NKJV)

Francis Scott Key’s poem entitled “The Defense of Fort McHenry,” which later became our National Anthem, was a rallying point for our country toward the end of the war of 1812. It  resulted with the war coming to an end with the Treaty of Ghent some three months later… although it did not reach the shores of America to be ratified and put into immediate effect until February 17^th of the following year.

I would encourage you to consider all these thoughts every time you hear our National Anthem sung at sporting events, on national holidays and whenever you have the good fortune to sing along with it.  May Francis Scott Key’s enthusiasm, patriotism and hope in our flag stir up in you your undaunted enthusiasm, patriotism and hope in your unfailing trust in the unfailing truth of God’s Word – which is His love letter, that He wrote just for you!  Have a great day.  Stay in tune to His Word and keep asking yourself… “What am I expecting today?”

*  “The Defense of Fort McHenry” written by Francis Scott Key, September 20, 1814.