Ruler Supreme, Who hearest humble prayer,
Hold our dominion within Thy loving care.
Help us to find, O God, in Thee
A lasting, rich reward,
As waiting for the Better Day,
We ever stand on guard.
(Verse from Original Canadian National Anthem).
An English writer once wrote, “As I walk the streets of London Town, its beauty struck me, but so did the absence of God. People seemed focused on everything else but Him.” Have you had similar thoughts while walking the streets of Montreal, Halifax, Vancouver, Miramichi or any community in Canada? Our original anthem wanted God’s presence to guide our nation, recognizing He is the giver of all blessings. However, we have strayed from recognizing His sovereignty and desire our politicians to make our land glorious and free. Many still call our nation a Christian nation, yet our morality focuses on what makes people happy instead of the Word of God.
Despite our struggle to see God’s presence on our streets, Psalm 139:7-10 reminds us that God is with us whether we sense Him or not.
How can I get away from your Spirit?
Where can I go to escape from you?
If I go up to the heavens, you are there.
If I lie down in the deepest parts of the earth, you are also there.
Suppose I were to rise with the sun in the east.
Suppose I travel to the west, where it sinks into the ocean.
Your hand would always be there to guide me.
Your right hand would still be holding me close. (Psalm 139:7–10)
So how do followers of Christ balance their support of our nation while it makes choices and takes this country further away from God? We know from scripture that believers are not to always remain silent. (read Amos). There is a holy balance that believers have to have between speaking up and shutting up. Our nation can not change if government officials serve those who will support them in the next election. The change will form a higher power found in the throne room of God. As disciples of Christ, we are used by God to be part of the change. We are the light to our family and circle of friends, and with the power of the Holy Spirit, we can go into the darkness and shed light within our communities. Community by community followers of Christ can affect change in our provinces, territories and nation so that all will say,
“Praise be to his (God’s) glorious name forever; may the whole earth be filled with his glory”. Psalm 72:19
We should not run out to the streets and try to implement change based on our understanding, but first, we should seek the divine wisdom of God to help us bring about change. Amen and Amen