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One of the big passages concerning the Christians' relation to government is Romans 13:1-8 --

Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you. For he is God's servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God's servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience. This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God's servants, who give their full time to governing. Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.

Well shoot. There you have it. God made it for our good, and often it does actually do God's good work among humanity. Yet we know from really the rest of the New Testament that government is overwhelmingly threatened by the message of the risen King Jesus, the redneck rabblerousing rabbi that the world's mightiest empire couldn't keep dead! We affirm that our savior is King of Kings, Caesar of Caesars, Lord of Lords, President of Presidents, and Prime Minister of all Prime Ministers. So, my allegiance will never be to a government or type of government, but always to the now-reiging Lord on high who has placed these authoroties under him.

It's also worth pointing out that though Government is instituted by God, no particular government on this side of the cross can be said to specially ordained by God. Though Yahweh may do this in His sovereignty at times, it must never be our duty to define which governments in particular are at any given time favored by Him. Indeed, whenever the church baptizes a particular regime or form of government (as opposed to standing in humble but strong critique of it), great horrors happen. Witness: the Crusades, the British Empire, the Holocaust.

Godly patriotism seeks never to defend or vigilantly love a government, but rather to prophetically exhort it toward Kingdom values. It doesn't drape the cross with the flag, nor does it withdraw from civic affairs. Godly patriotism in the covenant community seeks to transform its city, state, and nation for the good of all.

So, if God has governments here with the intent for our good, I'd like to take a moment to honor government, including my own.

I appreciate that my government traditionally upholds the kingdom value of general equality by taking (some) care of my country's "least of these."

I am thankful for growing up in a country which celebrates, and has preserved with much toil, freedom and democracy.

I appreciate that my government keeps me relatively safe, and is ready to rescue me in emergencies.

I honor my government for being historically rooted in a tradition which has a very sober understanding of the corrupting nature of all power, and was structured in such a way that it seeks to have strong checks against unwarranted and unrestrained power.

I am thankful that part of our shared civic convictions are that this government should be by the people, of the people, and for the people, and that often, it is!

I submit to my government's taxes, even if I think they're pretty unjust at times.

I am thankful that we have many great laws which protect God's creation from much of our sinful nature's tendency to destroy it.

I am thankful that I can have some part in my goverment's processes.

(this is far from an exhaustive list of why I am thankful for the varied governments over me)

But we know that structural evil exists -- the Powers are indeed fallen, regardless of what party is in power in this country. So, now for a few from-the-hip critiques of my Government contrasted with the Way Jesus has shown us the world ought to be, and eventually in His sovereignty will!

Israelite kings of old were taught to "speak out for those who cannot speak for themselves" (Proverbs 31:8). But our government has increasingly lost the way of protecting the public interest.

Jesus said you must serve God or Mammon -- celebrate kingdom values or Mammon values. Behold! Our government has become pre-occupied with the ritual upkeep and sacrifices in the Temple of Mammon -- prevailing public policy logic reads "It's the economy, stupid!"

Government is here to do us good (Romans 13:4), but it is now government by the corporations, of the corporations, and for the corporations.

King Jesus' way was humble, and he said that the greatest now will be the least later. Our federal government seems increasingly to believe that might makes right, and that it knows best how to govern the world. It fears a one-world government precisely because it favors holding its role as the one-superpower world governance.

Repentance and humility are requisites for Kingdom life. But my government cannot admit when it is wrong or has failed.

God disciplined the crap out of Israel for not looking after the poor, the alien, and the land. My government has exacerbated poverty, politicized xenophobia, and raped the land.

God's future blesses the peacemakers (Matthew 5) and doesn't involve studying for war (Isaiah 2:2-5), yet we spend more on military stuff than the rest of the world combined.

(as with my honoring government, I confess that this list is quite far from exhaustive)

May God's people never stand beside government as baptizers of a fallen and always imperfect Power.
rather...
May God's Saints ever stand before today's Pilates and Caesars as ambassadors of the true King, Messiah Jesus of Nazareth, ever calling it back into submission to the One who ordained it.