After 2 years of covid mandates, watching the trucker convoy head to Ottawa gave me such a feeling of pride for our country. Out of all the countries in the world, CANADA was the one that stepped up to defend our freedoms. It truly was a historic moment in our country.
Then I watched as the government declared an emergency and cleared the truckers out of Ottawa. I was saddened to see the police be aggressive against what looked like a peaceful protest (bouncy castles? Families?). Now the government is even going after people and freezing their bank accounts for being involved with the protest.
This doesn't feel like the Canada I grew up in.
I bet the children of Israel have felt this way throughout their history. They were slaves in Egypt for 400 years, they were exiled to Babylon for 70 years, and the Romans burned down Jerusalem in 70AD. Even now with their land back, the Jews have enemies on every side and have had to fight tooth and nail for their sovereignty.
This is probably why when Jesus came onto the scene that the Jewish people were hoping that He would be a political savior. That He would become their king and defeat the Roman occupation for them!
But He wasn't there to free them from their political oppressors, but from what REALLY oppressed them- their sin. That's why He died on the cross.
I think what's happening in our country is sad. But I also think I have been overfocused on it. Countries have risen and fallen all throughout the world's history- just because that seems to be happening to us right now doesn't mean that it's the end of the world. It just means that another country is falling apart because it's run by sinful people (like everywhere else- what other options are there for leaders?)
Whatever happens in Canada, does our job as Christians really change all that much? Doesn't God still call us to do the same things? Isn't the Great Commission still in effect for us?
It's so easy to become earthly minded and to forget our true heavenly calling in Christ. My emotional highs and lows watching the news just tells me that I am far too invested in this world that the Bible says is "passing away".
I am convicted in my own heart that too much of my hope has been placed in worldly political change instead of in Christ and the future He promises us.
I totally get being frustrated with what we see on the news. It's heartbreaking and it feels like we're powerless to really do anything.
But one thing we can keep on doing (or even start doing!)- we can pray, we can share our faith, we can make disciples, we can raise our families in the Lord and we can continue to live out our Christian faith here in the world.
Those are things that will bring about lasting change in the lives of people.
Pray for our country. Pray for our leaders. That is what we're commanded to do. But don't be surprised if sinful people continue to act sinful.
This is why the world needs the Gospel of Jesus.
Let's get it to them!
In Christ,
Pastor Kevin
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