God’s vision for all people is the fulfilment of the covenant, “I will be their God, and they will be my people.” Read Revelation 21:3. I loved the Bicentennial in 1976. I was a 13-year-old 7^th grader in Corydon, and it seemed everyone was caught up in the festivities. My parents were friends with Harry. Harry was in charge of the town’s fireworks, and he told me it was going to be big. I anticipated the bigness of 250 so much that I thought it would be cool to celebrate all month with a series on God’s vision for the United States of America. Of course, our nation is not mentioned in the Bible, so I turned to passages that gave God’s vision for all nations. This month we learned that God’s vision for all nations, which includes the United States of America, is that all nations would be nations of prayer. Let’s lean into God’s vision by praying for all people of all nations. God’s vision is that all nations would be nations of peace. Let’s lean into being peacemakers and pray for God’s peace to prevail in our hearts and between nations. God’s vision is that all nations would worship. The book of Revelation has a beautiful passage where people from every tongue and nation worship together. As we close out the month of July and the theme for God’s vision for the United States, we turn to a passage that is read at almost every funeral. The part that most people remember is that there would be no more death or mourning or crying or pain. This is indeed good news. It is a hope that we cling to when we get to heaven. We will not be troubled in heaven with death or pain. As we lean toward this truth, we often miss God’s vision for all people. The most important sentence is the fulfilment of the covenant that God promised to Abraham in Genesis. The covenant that was offered to Abraham was later offered to the Hebrew people through Moses. Jesus would later open the covenant to all people of all nations. The final and most important vision is this: “I will be your God, and you will be my people.” The invitation is a promise. The promise is a vision. We are the ones who will benefit from the fulfillment of God’s vision. It is the announcement from the prophet Isaiah to the people and from the angels to the shepherds. Immanuel means “God with us.” It is the vision at the end of the Bible in the Book of Revelation. God’s vision is bigger than the Corydon fireworks of 1776 or any celebration that has happened this year. Let’s give thanks.

Holy God, we offer you our thanks and praise for your vision. Help us to lean into the vision of your constant presence with us and all people. May your vision for all nations, including the United States of America, be realized partially even now and fully when you ordain it. Amen.