The new Statutory holiday tomorrow, Thursday September 30 - National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is a step in the right direction for our country to acknowledge our actions. But is it?
I guess it should be no surprise that our country is divided on this issue as well. Federal employees and employees under the Canada Labour code get the day off with pay. From there the provinces get to decide if they will honor the day by declaring a holiday. Kind of weird.
In BC, Manitoba, Nova Scotia and the Northwest Territories is it a holiday, schools will be closed and many businesses.
Then there is Alberta - the province is not declaring a Stat holiday but the City of Calgary is choosing to honor it. Really?
Many Indigenious groups are very frustrated and confused over the government's handling of this day. I cannot say I blame them, I do not get it either.
I guess in whatever province you live in wear an orange shirt and spend some time reflecting on how our country got into this mess.
It is just my personal observation and feeling that our country has never before been so divided, not just about this holiday but about so very many things.
I personally feel like Canada is ready and ripe for a Revival!
Revival definition: Christian revivalism is increased spiritual interest or renewal in the life of a church congregation or society, with a local, national or global effect. (Wikipedia)
A Revival is not to be confused with a Revival meeting – like the old tent meetings that would go around at the edge of town and invite everyone in. That is a Revival Meeting where a preacher or team would go and share the good news of Jesus Christ.
A Revival is not dependent upon the preaching, although much preaching would have been given before. It is not dependent on prayer although a lot of prayer would have had to happen before hand. It is not dependent on a church or even believing people. It is a miraculous work of God.
A Revival comes out of the blue, rolling in like a hurricane. People, all people and all faiths, are hit with a force of something spiritual and in a Revival it is the work of the Holy Spirit much like in the book of Acts in the Bible.
“When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.” Acts 2:1-4
The Revival at Pentecost came not at a church but at a gathering of the believers in a house. A Revival is an unexplained, unnatural, supernatural touch from God and those who experience it will never be the same. In the Bible verse quoted above, the physical house shook, they saw fire or flames in the air, their physical bodies were touched and they received supernatural gifting. Anyone who is in the vicinity was touched and changed, they started talking and proclaiming the Lord Jesus Christ.
Don’t believe it could happen? Read on…
“The 1904–1905 Welsh Revival was the largest Christian revival in Wales during the 20th century. It was one of the most dramatic in terms of its effect on the population, and triggered revivals in several other countries. "The movement kept the churches of Wales filled for many years to come. Meanwhile, the Awakening swept the rest of Britain, Scandinavia, parts of Europe, North America, the mission fields of India and the Orient, Africa and Latin America." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1904%E2%80%931905_Welsh_revival
The Revival in Wales changed the entire country and then went on to change millions of lives in other nations as well. Did you get that? The Entire country – not simply Christians, all people received a supernatural work from God.
“What were the results of this awakening? During the time of the Revival the police were left with virtually nothing to do and the courts were empty. Saloons and bars shut down for lack of business. Public drunkenness was almost non-existent. Old debts, many long forgotten, were paid off in full. Traveling theatrical agencies canceled their engagements, as everyone was in church! Profanity disappeared. It was said that horses everywhere were in complete confusion. They had become accustomed to responding to their master’s profane shouts and kicks and cursing, virtually of all of which had disappeared.
At one rugby match, a pastor said he heard only one man cursing, who thereupon repented. Of the 40,000 present,10,000 began singing hymns. Relationships were healed and marriages restored.” Taken from: https://www.samstorms.org/enjoying-god-blog/post/10-things-you-should-know-about-the-welsh-revival-of-1904-06
There have been many revivals around the world in history. Records show Revivals or “Awakenings” around the years 1727, 1792, 1830, 1857, 1882, 1906 (Azusa Street Revival), 1909 Chile Revival, 1920’s Balokole Revival in Uganda, 1971 Bario Revival and there are so many more. I was shocked to see the whole list of places that have had a supernatural touch from God. I shouldn’t be shocked because after all, God is a global God and His love extends to everyone.
Canada has been predicted since before WW2, to have a Revival similar to the one in Wales, if you believe in Prophecy that is. Prophecy is a prediction, prophecy is a message sent from God about a future event. It should not be a surprise that Canada will have a Revival if we think about it. Remember in one of my latest blogs I said, “history repeats itself.” God will work again and it has been predicted by many other countries all over the world that Canada will have a revival. We are in desperate need of a Godly touch.
The reason I anticipate it is that our great nation of Canada was founded on Biblical principles and standards.
“Engraved forever in the Parliamentary Buildings are Scripture verses which remind us of God’s dominion and our continued reliance on Him. In 1921, as a permanent testimony to the convictions of our forbears, architect John A. Pearson commissioned the following Scriptures over each of the exterior arched windows of the Peace Tower:
Over the East window: “He shall have dominion also from sea to sea” (Psalm 72:8).
Over the South window: “Give the King thy judgment, O God, and thy righteousness unto the King’s son” (Psalm 72:1).
Over the West window: “Where there is no vision, the people perish” (Proverbs 29:18).
And these are but a few of the many Scripture verses etched throughout the buildings. In an age where there seems to be no enduring legacies, the testimony of our forefathers endures in the Scriptures, written in stone and accessible for all to view simply by walking up to the Parliament buildings.” https://www.christianity.ca/sslpage.aspx?pid=12262
Those scriptures written and carved in stone are our heritage. Canada has a purpose to its existence – it has been proclaimed as a land that will bring “healing to the nations”.
In its current form, Canada has nothing to offer, we can barely heal ourselves. We are a broken, fragmented and grieving nation. Families are split, communities are split over Covid. The sins of our past are and have been coming to the forefront with the Residential schools’ gruesome findings, even the fact that there were residentail schools is horrific with the last one closing only in 1996.
Canadian History is not always kind, and especially to children - God's favorite. God forgive us! I wonder what happened along the way to make us loose our vision from the words etched in stone in Ottawa.
1840’s the Irish potato famine caused about 110,000 immigrants to come to Canada, many children, orphaned or with parents so poor they could not raise them. They heard about a place that offered such promise and hope and sent their children in expectation of good. The ships that carried the immigrants were often called "coffin ships" because so many died on the journey. Many immigrants, adults and children found solace in homes but many children became slave labour. With no tracking system in place many children were left to fend for themselves or be abused at the hands of others.
1869-1932 over 100,000 children were shipped over from Britain, known as the “British Home Children”. These children were deemed orphaned but again some had living parents or a parent who could for whatever reason not look after them. These parents too sent the children off with the hope that Canada was a land of promise. A plaque at Pier 21 in Halifax says that these children were sent over as “farm labourers and domestic servants”. Children were supposed to be over the age of 9 but some were as little as 3.
1942 the internment of Japanese Canadians who were forcibly stripped of their homes and businesses, relocated and interned, (forcibly detained) all in the name of national security. Most of these were Canadian born citizens.
It seems we forgot somewhere what land of the free looks like and who it cost to get our freedom. It should never, ever be built on the backs of children or on immigrants who have no where else to turn. It should never be "forced" on others because then it would not be "free."
Alas, am I talking about history or present day...
Revival: increased spiritual interest in God in a society, with a local, national or global effect. It just might be time for a little Revival and a whole lot of Holy Spirit! Come Lord Jesus Come!