America the Beautiful

Since we have "A Portuguêsa" on our CD we thought it would be nice to also have a song from the United States. One of our favorite patriotic songs is "America the Beautiful." The music was written by Samuel A. Ward. The text was written in 1893 by Katherine Lee Bates after she had visited the summit of Pike's Peak.

The view from the top of Pikes Peak inspired the opening lines.

O beautiful for spacious skies
for amber waves of grain
for purple mountain majesties
above the fruited plain.

In each chorus there is a request made to God on behalf of America.
"God shed His grace on thee"
"God mend thine every flaw"
"May God thy gold refine"
"God shed His grace on thee"

(Se o Português é a sua primeira língua, "thee" e "thine" são velhas palavras inglesas para você e sua.)

This is still our prayer for America and for Portugal - that God would make us better countries. He does that as followers of Jesus Christ live for God.

The Bible tells us ways that we should pray for our nations. Here are two passages.

2 Chronicles (Crónicas) 7

14 and My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

14 e se o meu povo, que se chama pelo meu nome, se humilhar, e orar, e buscar a minha face, e se desviar dos seus maus caminhos, então eu ouvirei do céu, e perdoarei os seus pecados, e sararei a sua terra.

Amigos!

2 Timothy (Timóteo) 2

1 First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men,	1 Exorto, pois, antes de tudo que se façam súplicas, orações, intercessões, e ações de graças por todos os homens,
2 for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.	2 pelos reis, e por todos os que exercem autoridade, para que tenhamos uma vida tranqüila e sossegada, em toda a piedade e honestidade.
3 This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior,	3 Pois isto é bom e agradável diante de Deus nosso Salvador,
4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.	4 o qual deseja que todos os homens sejam salvos e cheguem ao pleno conhecimento da verdade.