BROADCASTS.com

Love must be sincere\u2026 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer (Romans 12:9a, 12).

Happy Canada Day, eh! I am aware that Canada Day was yesterday. As good residents of this country, your pastors took the day off; thus, there was no devotion. So, again, Happy Canada Day, eh! My apology to our listeners who are not Canadian. If you stay tuned, you\u2019ll discover that this is not a Canada Day devotion.

Of course, it may not have been a happy day. COVID-19 may have left the day feeling rather barren: the normal robust backyard BBQs were thinly attended; the darkened evening sky, bereft of the sound and sight of fireworks caused the day to end in a whimper.

Of course, there are darker reasons for the day to lack luster. The increasing national recognition that this country was founded on doctrines of racism that still linger today, rightly muffle our feelings of national pride. The current recognition that we live with significant inequalities, that many do not have access to homes or sufficient income, makes us wonder what elements of our history remain untold. The repeating threat of succession from one part of the country or another, makes us wonder if it\u2019s even possible to build a common vision for a land so large and diverse.

How should we Christians respond to the mixed history of this country, or any country for that matter? Let me suggest that we remember that we are citizens of two kingdoms. Whether we are Canadian or own a passport from a different country, we do well to remember who we are. By definition, Christians are committed to the Kingdom of Jesus Christ, often referred to as the kingdom of heaven or the kingdom of God.

This kingdom is a kingdom of hope. Our text for today, \u201cBe joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer\u201d, reminds us of this. When Jesus introduces his kingdom in Luke 4, he says, \u201cThe Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free\u2026\u201d (18). And that is exactly what he set about doing: healing the sick and feeding the hungry. His is a kingdom of justice.

We believe that after Jesus rose from the dead, he ascended to heaven and is sitting at the right of God almighty. From there he will return to finish his work of redemption, establishing fully his kingdom. The three phrases of our text are rooted in that hope. It is the source of our abiding joy.

If you look closely, you\u2019ll see a progression that certainly appears deliberate. How do we remain patient through affliction? We continue to hope, waiting eagerly for Jesus' return. We continue to fulfill our obligation to love each other and our neighbours. We continue to enjoy our blessings even when we\u2019re discouraged and want to quit. And all the while, we devote ourselves to prayer. These qualities of love are indispensable. When people can hope together, remain relentlessly devoted to one another and to Christ, and talk to the Father on one another\u2019s behalf, nothing can tear their community apart.

And Jesus calls us to live as good citizens of whatever country we belong to. In this moment of history, we must acknowledge that the church has often been an accomplice in the injustices of history. But it also means that we renew our commitment to be led by the Spirit into the sincere love Paul writes about in Romans 12, a love infused with justice for all. Let our prayers also include this: that the multi-pronged crisis of our day may enable Canada, and other nations, to forge a more just future for all peoples.

As Jesus\u2019 followers, let us lead the way with hope and prayer!

\xa0