Tomorrow will be Canada Day. We know that because of the terrible wrongs that have happened at residential schools across our country, some communities and individuals will be altering activities or not marking Canada Day this year. Disturbing information continues to come to light about what occurred. There is still truth that has not yet been told or discovered. I am reflecting that the line from our national anthem, “God keep our land glorious and free” finds us needing to acknowledge that our history has certainly not all been glorious and free. To this day, there is prejudice and inequity and neglect and misunderstanding. We do have freedom in this country of Canada where we live to take responsibility to stand on guard for what is good and God pleasing. I have not found it helpful to shake my head and to say, “This was wrong, but what can I do?” There are things we can do every day to see change welcomed and affirmed. There are steps that we can take to ensure that all people are heard and cared about. Some of us on Facebook have posted the message, “EVERY CHILD MATTERS”. This expresses the truth of seeing every child, every person, as significant to God. If we are to see each person as God sees them, then we will be praying for evident ways for this to happen. In this place where we live, we can pray for this truth to be realized that every person is made in God’s image and matters to God. Our prayers will make a difference. Again, prayer changes things and prayer changes us as we pray. Recognize with me how desperately our country and the people of our country of Canada need prayer. In Genesis 1:27,31 we read from Scripture, “God created humankind in His own image., in the image of God He created them… God saw all that he had made, and it was very good.” Our Creator God did create what was good. Sin has damaged and marred what God intended to be good. For this Canada Day 2021, will you join in prayers for God to bring healing for our First Nations and for all of us in this our home and native land called Canada. Our WEDNESDAY PRAYER TOGETHER will be for June 30th at 1 pm.
Our Creator God, You are good and you have created us in Your image. We see in ourselves and in all of Your creation the potential both for good and evil. We have been blessed with freedom to know You and to worship You as we live in this country of Canada. This country was meant to be built on principles of faith and freedom. Today we join our prayers with the prayers of others asking for healing of our land. We need to see healing for the injustice of land that was taken from those who first called it their own. You know the healing that is needed in every instance where trust has been broken. We pray for healing for those who spoke the truth but were disregarded and ignored. We pray for healing where people made in Your image have been looked down on and pushed aside. We pray for healing in families where the trauma continues to cause damage and despair. We know that every child and every individual matters to You and we stand with You in this recognition. We think of great sacrifices that have been made to ensure that Canada remains free. Thank you for those who have given of themselves in this cause. In our freedom, we choose to acknowledge You as our Leader. Please lead us on this path of healing. Without truth there can be no reconciliation so we pray for what is necessary for truth to be revealed. When truth is exposed, show us where to go from there. God please renew our willingness to stand on guard with You for Canada and how you intend us to live our lives as Canadians. Forgive us for the times we stand on guard for ourselves and our advancement or our gain instead of for what will bring healing and wholeness for everyone. When the way of healing is overwhelming and costly, please give us strength and determination. God please show us how you want us to respond in building a more fair and loving future for Canada. Thank You for the potential for this to happen as we pray together and work together. Our God we thank You for the changes that praying has already made in us. Please guard us against disillusionment and concluding that it will never get better. God, we are asking that seeds that are being sown now to bring hope and healing will mature into the harvest that You are preparing, in our lifetimes. We want to live to see the answers to our prayers for Canada to be a place and a people that chooses to honour you in the ways that faith in You will influence our policies and initiatives. We thank You that we are Canadians and pray that the way we live our lives will give reason for that to be a proud identity. Oh God, please forgive our sin and heal our land. In the Name of Jesus who has the power to heal. AMEN.