Is something extraordinary happening in Canada today?
Over the past several decades a wave of secularism has flooded over our nation. At times it has seemed like a tsunami, sweeping aside standards and leaving a tangled moral mess in its wake. Believers in the one true God have often felt disheartened by this loss of Judeo-Christian values and social mores. But the reassurance keeps coming back: God has not changed. His Word is still valid. The Gospel is still the power of God unto salvation. Jesus Christ is alive and present with us.
Holding to these truths one can stand against the tide, however strong or irresistible it may seem. The fact remains that it isn’t the current conditions and circumstances that should hold our attention but the possibilities that exist because of Christ’s presence in our world!
For the early church this vision of the world made all the difference. Those first century believers pressed forward against fiercely evil opposition. Their message cut against entrenched religious customs that were based on man’s ideals rather than God’s ideals. Their testimony for Jesus challenged every philosophy of the day. They paid a great price for their faith and commitment, but look at the outcome!
It is profoundly encouraging for a Christian in today’s Canada to realize that the world to which those first Christians witnessed was as distorted in its spirituality and perspectives as our world and nation are right now. But it is in this very context that we see the power and influence of the Gospel flow from believing, praying people with transformational force. The result is true conversion—lives changed by the matchless power of Christ.
One of the greatest challenges we have faced in our nationwide Finding the Hope campaign has been that of convincing church leaders of the importance of sowing Gospel seeds across our nation. You may find this hard to comprehend, but many have struggled to see how presenting Christ to every home in their community can actually result in planting seeds that yield a harvest of transformed lives. We have discovered time and again that church leaders are battle weary, and that is understandable. But in spite of the hardened soil of our communities, there is hope. There is the presence of Christ. He is here, He is alive, and His Spirit is seeking lost people and breaking down the walls of resistance in their darkened hearts.
Sharing the Gospel is a necessary response to a world filled with questions about the meaning of life, the possibility of hope, and most of all the significance of Christ’s sacrifice on behalf of lost humanity.
The Finding the Hope campaign is structured in a way to create opportunities for people to hear the call of God, learn about Jesus and take a meaningful first step on the Way to becoming a follower of Christ.
As you look at our nation, wandering like the prodigal who fled from his father, do so with the hope that comes from a truly Christian perspective on the world. Let the vision of divine possibilities encourage you, give you hope and fill your mouth with prayers of faith. And may your heart be warmed by the fact that extraordinary things are happening in Canada today. Lives are being forever transformed. People are turning from a path of destruction to one of eternal life and unending promise.
Our role in this world is not to count the sins of others. We are called to pray that the love and light of the Gospel will shine in peoples’ hearts and to make sure that the message of this glorious Gospel is presented to them clearly and compellingly, right where they live.
We have many reasons to give thanks. We also have an urgent mission to our nation. I invite you to pray with us fervently that the vision of the Finding the Hope campaign will capture the hearts of churches and their leaders. Let’s pray with faith in the power of Christ that He would open and regenerate the hearts of those who are lost.
Remember the promise of Isaiah 59: “Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save.” Christ’s presence in our world makes redemption and renewal a real possibility for everyone around us.
– Jacqueline Dugas