June 14, 2015 was Flag Day! Maybe you didn’t know that was even an “official” day to honor the flag. If you like to study flags, there’s a special word for it — you are a vexillologist! In the United States, as around the world, flags are shown reverence. However, perhaps you don’t know our flag’s history.

On June 14, 1777, the Continental Congress passed an act establishing an official flag for our new nation. The resolution stated, “Resolved, that the flag of the United States be 13 stripes, alternate red and white; that the union be 13 stars, white in a blue field, representing a new constellation.”

Betsy Ross was a seamstress who made clothes for George Washington. President Washington approached her to make the country’s first flag. Our flag has accumulated several nicknames over the years, including the “Stars and Stripes”, “Old Glory”, and the “Star-Spangled Banner”.

On August 3, 1949, President Harry S. Truman officially declared June 14 as Flag Day. Between 1777 and 1960 Congress passed several acts that changed the shape, design, and arrangement of the flag and allowed stars and stripes to be added to reflect the admission of each new state.In 1795, 2 more stripes were added to reflect the addition of states, but it was later reverted back.

Today our flag consists of 13 horizontal stripes, seven red alternating with six white. The stripes represent the original 13 colonies. The stars represent the 50 states of the Union. The colors of the flag are symbolic as well. Red symbolizes stamina and valor, white symbolizes purity and innocence, and blue represents vigilance, perseverance and justice.

The flag serves as a source of pride and inspiration. On September 14, 1814 as daylight broke, Francis Scott Key saw the American flag still flying over Baltimore’s Fort McHenry after it had been bombarded all night by the British. Inspired, he wrote a poem entitled The Defense of Fort McHenry, which was later set to music and renamed The Star-Spangled Banner. Congress made it the official national anthem in 1931. In 1892, the flag inspired James Upham and Francis Bellamy to write The Pledge of Allegiance. It was first published in a magazine called The Youth’s Companion.

As Christians, we are called to honor those in authority over us; so it is fitting that we too honor our nation’s flag. However, we also have a spiritual legacy through the Word of God. I love Scripture from Song of Solomon (2:4) that tells me God’s “banner over me is love“. Jesus Christ has made it possible for us to know and experience God’s love in a beautiful and personal way. We are to live with the hope, strength, joy, encouragement, purity, perseverance stirred in our hearts and minds because His banner of love is flying over us — every day!