"As we approach the 250th anniversary of the United States of America, perhaps going back to basics and reminding ourselves of our founding values is a good idea, too. Equality, life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness for all are our founding ideals. We as a nation, in fits and starts over the last 250 years, have been in a never-ending process of transformation to try to actually live out those ideals. Like us Christians, our nation, too, is in a process of becoming. And as the hymn says, America, America, God mend thine every flaw. With our country, our faith, we often need reminders about what we're doing all of this for. We need to remind ourselves of the foundational values that are why we're here in the first place. And when we remember that old story, we'll be restored and hope and made ready to face the future, knowing that the God who has been faithful yesterday and today is indeed the God who holds our tomorrows. After all, God is our Alpha and Omega, and Alpha is the first letter of the Greek alphabet and Omega is the last. So God is our beginning and our end and everything in between."