"Thou hast given a banner to them that fear Thee, that it may be displayed because of the truth." (Psalm 60:4)
Flagging down
The truth of what? The truth, the fact, the law that God loves you. He loves you and this is something you can draw upon daily and now and all the time. But I'm just talking. This is the truth that has gone out to the ends of the world upon Jesus' death and resurrection. "For God so loved the world..." (John 3:16) This is the fabric that permeates existence. It is the sunlight through the ether. It has imbued every particle and even those yet to be discovered. It is in the light and it's stronger than gravity. And if this makes you feel good, good. If it gives you pause and makes you ponder and wonder, wonderful. Because this is the great test of existence. As "God is love" (1 John 4:16 the whole verse reads as follows: "And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in Him."), and the battleground (for lack of a better word) is one of believing over non, love must be where you begin with Him.
"He brought me to the banqueting house, and His banner over me was love." (Song of Solomon 2:4)
The banner, in the case of both verses is essentially a flag. The proper study of flags, is Vexillology, by the way. We see in the Song of Songs how the woman relates the love of her beloved to an all encompassing flag. Something she's wrapped in and enraptured by. The desire for love and companionship is what God has put on the heart and mind of every human the world over. And a mere mention of the odd opposite case does nothing to falsify this universal truth. This is what God is looking for. He is love and He has nothing else better to do than give it. "For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew Himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward Him." (2 Chronicles 16:9) Who wants me? Who desires what I have to give them? Not just life eternal, but an audience with the person who thought them up. God's undivided attention.
"And this is life eternal, that they might know Thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast sent. I have glorified Thee on the earth: I have finished the work which Thou gavest me to do." (John 17:3-4)
One morning many years ago, the Lord spoke something to my heart. I knew it was Him only because it had nothing to do with the present context or content of my mind and thoughts. So refreshing was it—so unusual, almost like dream logic. It made no sense at the time but I've grown into it. He told me He would tell me why flags are flown.
Flagging
"So shall they fear the name of the Lord from the west, and His glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him." (Isaiah 59:19)
A flag is an irreducible symbol of, I would say, that which bears a representation befitting material and color. And handling just-so. For instance, any member of the armed forces must stop and salute if the flag is being raised or lowered. So simple is its use that an alteration in direction or light or position denote radical, if dire events taking place. You must either keep a light on the flag at night or else take it down. It must needs be folded correctly as well. Horizontally twice and then triangled (?) till you tuck it closed. A flag is more than the sum of its parts. A flag is the ultimate symbol (neckties are like flags, think about it). Francis Scott Key spied the flag from his ship out in the harbor and his spirits sailed. This is God's love for us. Without waxing any one patriotism over another, Jesus has indeed raised this banner for us. This, really, to answer the above statement, is why flags are flown. Because God loves you. The flag may have flown at half mast for a mere three days. But nothing in the world can take it down. It may be night but the light of the Holy Spirit shines strong. Training our vision on this substrate fact will keep us from flagging in the slightest. Everything else falls in line, then.
"For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come. Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:39)