I was on vacation in Kelowna for the celebration of Canada Day on July 1. Kelowna does the day up right by starting with what they call Folkfest, a celebration of a variety of countries and cultures that are represented in that city.
That evening I ventured to the beach to watch the Canada Day fireworks with thousands of other people. Parking was at a premium as I soon found out as I had to park several blocks away from the event. But it was worth it as I sat with my family watching the fireworks burst over Okanagan Lake.
Of course Canada Day would not be complete without the singing of our national anthem. There is something about that song that stirs up pride and thankfulness that we get to live in this great country called Canada.
The celebration of Canada Day was nothing new to me, although I did learn something about part of our Canadian culture that I did not know before - our national anthem O Canada has more than one verse. Here is what you and I often sing... O Canada! Our home and native land! True patriot love in all thy sons command. With glowing hearts we see thee rise. The true north strong and free! From far and wide, O Canada, we stand on guard for thee. God keep our land glorious and free! O Canada, we stand on guard for thee. O Canada, we stand on guard for thee. Now, when we sing our national anthem, we think this is all there is to the song, but did you know that our anthem has four verses? The last verse of our national anthem says, Ruler supreme, who hearest humble prayer, Hold our Dominion in 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. God keep our land, glorious and free! O Canada, we stand on guard for thee. O Canada we stand on guard for thee.
Perhaps this verse of O Canada surprises you because often our focus in Canada is on other things other than God. We are very much into freedom, equal rights, justice for all and a general acceptance of all people regardless of culture or background.
The focus is on what we as people can do to make our country a better place for all, but we forget just how much we are dependent on God for the things we long for most in our country and in our lives as individuals.
Many years ago, when our country was first founded, our forefathers realized just how much they needed God to keep this land “glorious and free” and so they looked to God for direction. Now, it can be argued that times have changed, but people's need for the loving care of God has not. We still long for purpose, for things to get better. Maybe you feel that your life is so far from God that you don’t want to trouble God with your hurts. “After all, He’s got famines and pestilence and bigger hurts to deal with. He won’t care about my little struggles,” you think. But why don’t you let God decide about that.
1 Peter 5:7 says, “He cares about you.” All our feelings of fear and aloneness disappear when we discover God’s perfect love can cast out our fear. You are not alone. That’s what our forefathers realized and that is why they leaned so heavily on God to build this country called Canada. Like people throughout time, they realized how much they needed God. Just like David in Psalm 23 who said, “He restores my soul.”
Does your soul need restoring today? You’re searching all kinds of other sources that will make you a better Canadian, a better person. Why not consider what our fore - fathers knew, they needed God in their lives. Now, maybe you say, “I’m not religious... I am not sure there is a God.” Maybe today is your day to consider that the One who gave us all the things we enjoy in this country really does exist and that He cares about you. One other thing David says in Psalm 23 about God, he says, “he leads me.” Don’t we need someone to lead us as an individual, as a country? How often we struggle with purpose and direction, God promises, “I will lead you if you ask me to.”
I don’t know about you, but I am proud to be a Canadian. I love to sing our national anthem and I suspect that you do as well. It’s a wonderful privilege to live in this land called Canada. It’s also wonderful to know that there is more than one verse to our national anthem. This beloved song encourages us to put our hope and trust in God and isn't that great advice, because hope is what we all need, it’s what we all long for.
This column is submitted by the Tri-Community Baptist Church in Beiseker.
