God Bless America? How Can He?

When a Nation Sacrifices Its Children, Can It Still Expect the Blessings of God?

We hear it everywhere. “God bless America!” Politicians end their speeches with it. We sing it at patriotic celebrations. We print it on bumper stickers, wave it on banners, and proudly proclaim it from pulpits across our nation.

But I have a question that should cause every Christian in America to stop and examine the condition of our nation. How can a holy and righteous God continue to bless a nation that has sacrificed millions of its unborn children?

And perhaps an even more troubling question: Why does the American Church seem so comfortable asking God to bless a nation that continues to shed innocent blood?

When the Defense of Life Becomes a Political Afterthought

In 2016, the Republican Party platform repeatedly addressed abortion, affirming the sanctity of human life and the protection of unborn children. By 2024, the party’s platform had dramatically reduced its discussion of abortion, emphasizing the authority of individual states to determine abortion policy while placing greater attention on the economy, immigration, and other political priorities.

Think about that. The protection of innocent human life, once a central concern, had become a much smaller part of the national political conversation.

Meanwhile, abortions in America have continued at staggering levels. According to estimates from the Guttmacher Institute, more than one million clinician-provided abortions occurred annually in the United States in both 2023 and 2024. Since Roe v. Wade in 1973, the cumulative number of abortions in America has reached into the tens of millions.

Millions of children who never experienced their first sunrise. Millions of voices that were never heard. Millions of lives ended before they ever had the opportunity to be born.

And now, with the increasing availability of abortion medications, the practice has become even more accessible. During the Biden administration, the FDA removed the longstanding requirement that mifepristone be dispensed in person, allowing certified pharmacies to dispense the medication under specified conditions. Today, medication abortions account for a majority of abortions in the United States.

We have made enormous advances in medicine, technology, and scientific discovery. Yet we have also developed increasingly convenient ways to end the lives of children in the womb. What does that say about the spiritual condition of our nation?

America Has Crossed a Dangerous Line

Throughout Scripture, God repeatedly warned His people against the abominable practice of sacrificing their children to false gods. The Israelites were commanded:

“And thou shalt not let any of thy seed pass through the fire to Molech, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the LORD.”

But Israel refused to listen. They adopted the practices of the pagan nations surrounding them. They built high places, worshiped idols, and eventually began sacrificing their own sons and daughters. Psalm 106:37–38 tells us:

“Yea, they sacrificed their sons and their daughters unto devils, And shed innocent blood, even the blood of their sons and of their daughters, whom they sacrificed unto the idols of Canaan: and the land was polluted with blood.”

Notice those words.

THE LAND WAS POLLUTED WITH BLOOD.

God did not overlook what they were doing. He did not excuse their behavior because they were His chosen people. He did not ignore their wickedness because they continued offering sacrifices and observing religious traditions.

Eventually, judgment came. The northern kingdom of Israel fell to the Assyrians. Later, Judah was conquered by the Babylonians, Jerusalem was destroyed, and the people were carried into captivity. The very people who had experienced the miraculous deliverance of God found themselves suffering the consequences of their rebellion.

Why? Because they had forsaken the Lord and embraced the abominations of the nations around them. And among those abominations was the shedding of innocent blood.

Have We Become Like Ancient Israel?

America was profoundly influenced by biblical principles in its early development. Our founding documents speak of rights endowed by our Creator. Generations of Americans acknowledged God publicly, prayed for His guidance, and recognized the importance of moral responsibility.

But somewhere along the way, we began exchanging biblical convictions for cultural acceptance. We have made idols of prosperity, pleasure, political power, personal freedom, and convenience. And in the pursuit of those idols, we have permitted the destruction of unborn children.

Ancient Israel sacrificed children to Molech. Today, children are sacrificed in the name of personal choice, economic security, career advancement, and individual autonomy. The names of the idols have changed. But the shedding of innocent blood continues.

And what troubles me most is that much of the Church has learned to live with it. We have become so accustomed to abortion that we barely react when we hear the numbers. Another million abortions. Another year. Another political campaign. Another debate. And life goes on.

Our churches are filled with activities, conferences, concerts, and programs. But where is the brokenness over the innocent blood being shed in our land? Where are the tears? Where is the repentance? Where is the fear of the Lord?

Life and Death Are in the Power of the Tongue

Proverbs 18:21 declares:

“Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.”

Words matter. What we speak reveals what we believe. Across the world, there are those who openly call for America’s destruction, while millions of American Christians continue to cry out: “God bless America!”

And I believe we should pray for our nation. I believe we should ask God for mercy. I believe we should intercede for our leaders and for the generations coming behind us.

But we must understand something. We cannot substitute patriotic declarations for national repentance. We cannot continue embracing what God condemns and expect our words alone to secure His blessing.

God is not impressed with our slogans. He is not persuaded by our political affiliations. He is not obligated to bless a nation simply because its citizens repeatedly ask Him to do so.

He is holy. He is righteous. And He is the same God who judged His own covenant people when they refused to turn from their wickedness.

What Makes Us Think America Is Exempt?

This is the question that has been weighing heavily on my heart. If God judged ancient Israel for sacrificing children to idols, why would we assume that America is exempt from His righteous judgment?

Is our nation somehow more deserving of mercy? Are we more righteous than Israel? Does our prosperity give us immunity? Does our military strength protect us from the consequences of national sin?

Absolutely not.

Proverbs 14:34 declares:

“Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.”

Notice that Scripture does not say righteousness exalts only Israel. It says righteousness exalts a nation. And sin is a reproach to any people.

God’s moral standards do not change with national borders. The God who condemned the shedding of innocent blood thousands of years ago has not changed His mind. Malachi 3:6 declares:

“For I am the LORD, I change not.”

We may change our laws. We may change our political platforms. We may change our cultural definitions of right and wrong. But we cannot change the character of Almighty God.

And while Scripture does not tell us that every national hardship is a specific judgment for abortion, it gives us more than enough reason to fear the consequences of persistent, unrepentant sin.

Judgment Must Begin at the House of God

Perhaps the greatest tragedy is not simply what is happening in Washington. Perhaps the greater tragedy is what is NOT happening in our churches. First Peter 4:17 declares:

“For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God.”

We cannot expect a spiritually blind world to embrace biblical truth when the Church itself has become unwilling to proclaim it. Pastors must recover the courage to preach the whole counsel of God. Christians must stop allowing political loyalty to determine their moral convictions. Our allegiance must be to Jesus Christ and His Word, not to a political party or candidate.

The protection of innocent life is not merely a Republican issue or a Democratic issue. It is a righteousness issue. And no political platform should determine how seriously the Church takes the sanctity of human life.

We must also remember that the Gospel offers forgiveness and restoration. To every woman who has experienced an abortion, and to every man who participated in that decision, I want to say something important. There is forgiveness at the cross of Jesus Christ. There is mercy for the repentant sinner. There is healing for the brokenhearted. The blood of Jesus Christ is sufficient to cleanse us from all sin.

But forgiveness does not make sin acceptable. It makes repentance possible. And repentance is exactly what America desperately needs.

We Need More Than a Political Victory

I am grateful for every law that protects unborn children. I am grateful for every pregnancy resource center, every adoptive family, every mother who chooses life under difficult circumstances, and every Christian who stands faithfully for the defenseless.

But legislation alone cannot heal the spiritual condition of our nation. We need something far greater. We need a genuine awakening to the holiness of God. We need pastors who will preach repentance without apology. We need Christians who will live holy lives instead of merely professing religious beliefs. We need fathers who will take responsibility for their children. We need churches that will support mothers in crisis, care for vulnerable children, and make adoption and practical assistance part of their ministry. And we need believers who will stop confusing political success with spiritual revival.

Second Chronicles 7:14 contains God’s promise to Israel:

“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”

Although this promise was originally given to Israel, the call to humility, prayer, and repentance remains a powerful lesson for the Church today.

Notice that God did not merely tell His people to pray. He told them to TURN FROM THEIR WICKED WAYS. There is no genuine repentance without turning. There is no holiness without obedience. And there is no spiritual awakening without surrender to the Lordship of Jesus Christ.

So, Can We Still Ask God to Bless America?

Yes.

But perhaps our prayers need to change. Instead of simply crying out, “God bless America,” perhaps we should fall on our faces and cry:

“GOD, HAVE MERCY ON AMERICA!”

Forgive us for the innocent blood that has been shed. Forgive us for making idols of prosperity, comfort, pleasure, and personal freedom. Forgive the Church for its silence. Forgive us for caring more about elections than righteousness. Forgive us for embracing political leaders while neglecting the commandments of the King of kings. Forgive us for becoming comfortable with sins that should bring us to our knees.

Lord, awaken Your Church! Raise up pastors who fear You more than they fear losing their congregations. Raise up believers who will stand for truth even when it costs them something. Protect the unborn. Strengthen mothers and fathers. Bring healing to those wounded by abortion. And turn the hearts of this nation back to You.

A Final Word

I love America. I am grateful for the freedoms we have enjoyed and the blessings God has allowed us to experience. But loving our country does not mean remaining silent about its sins. In fact, genuine love should compel us to speak the truth.

The prophets of ancient Israel did not demonstrate their love for their nation by telling everyone that everything was fine. They warned the people. They confronted sin. They called for repentance. And they reminded God’s people that the Lord is both merciful and holy.

I believe the Church in America desperately needs to recover that prophetic courage. Because the question before us is no longer simply whether America will remain prosperous, powerful, or politically influential. The question is whether we will humble ourselves before Almighty God while there is still time.

We cannot continue sacrificing our children on the altars of our modern idols and presume upon the blessings of a holy God. The blood of the innocent matters to Him. Righteousness matters to Him. Repentance matters to Him. And someday every nation, every ruler, and every individual will give an account before the righteous Judge of all the earth.

So before we cry out again, “God bless America,” perhaps we should first cry out:

“GOD, FORGIVE AMERICA!”

“Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?”

He most certainly will.

If this message has challenged your heart, please share it. America doesn’t merely need another political movement. We need the Church to awaken, repent, and return to the Lordship of Jesus Christ.