In his inspiring book, The Knowledge of the Holy, Tozer writes: “What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.”
This is true of everybody—Christians and non-Christians—because it determines the course of everything else.
Yet in today’s Canada, it is less and less likely that people will hear enough about the Lord to have right thoughts about Him. Strategic efforts by groups and individuals continually aim at the removal of signs that point to God. From impassioned pleas to ban Bibles in schools to the prohibition of Christian prayer at city council meetings, the elimination of public acknowledgement of God is aggressively pursued.
The absence of Scripture and prayer in Canadian society is leaving a blank page that the Church cannot ignore because messages of all kinds are being written on this page.
The push of our secular society against Christianity should prompt us to pray and should stir deep within us a desire to share the Gospel with people who have no hope without Him. The fact is, Christians are not a sub-culture within a secular society. We are the Church, the people of God, placed in this nation to be a witness to the reality of His kingdom and to proclaim the message of life and hope only He can give.
The Canadian Encyclopedia says this about secularization: “To secularize is to treat something as belonging to the world, rather than to God, and to judge the worth of things according to their usefulness in human activity.”
Without unpacking this mouthful of a definition, we know that this is how most Canadians view our nation and its people. This is also how a society finds a way to justify and accept things that would not otherwise be considered as beneficial, to say the least. Canada’s 150 year anniversary celebration includes the mention of faith. But it is more or less a recognition of all faiths as being elements in Canadian culture and little more than a pat on the back of pluralism.
Jesus does not look at the world with secular eyes. He looks at the world—societies and people—as His harvest field. What He sees are people harassed and helpless. He also says they are people without a shepherd, a phrase that in Scripture refers to the absence of moral leadership.
We should all be grateful that people from all faiths can find a safe place to live here, but our Christian faith reminds us that every human being is created in the image of God and must have the opportunity to hear the Gospel.
So, what comes into your mind when you think about God? For all of us who know and serve Him, there should be hopeful thoughts that come from knowing that nothing is too difficult for Him; there should be a growing desire to pray to the Lord of the harvest who hears and answers prayer; there should be a firm conviction that His Word will not return to Him without bearing fruit.
Thoughts of God should prompt us to pray and sow seeds of the Gospel as we go about life.
Canadians will mark the 150th anniversary of our nation in many ways. We should make every effort to mark this point in our history with much prayer for a turning point. This nation needs an awakening and the Church needs a revival. The hour is urgent. Could we, in the months ahead, cry out to God together for Canada?
Lord, we implore you, have mercy upon our nation and its people!
Lord, visit your people and send a revival!
Lord, pour out your Holy Spirit upon the lost and awaken men, women and children to the reality of your kingdom!
Lord, make a way for the Gospel to penetrate every aspect of Canadian life and society!
Let’s pray until people throughout this nation think of God as Lord of all of life, with faith, hope and gratitude.
If you would like to help sow the seed of the Gospel in Canada please visit: https://ehc.ca/gifts
Your gifts and prayers are deeply appreciated!