By Mrs. Rita B. Parsons

How often have we turned on the news only to hear of another world catastrophe? Another group of people displaced due to famine or war or floods or cruel dictators or earthquakes? And the list goes on. We see it, we hear it, some of us even allow ourselves to be horrified or empathetic or may even reach into our pockets to send financial assistance but it tends to end there. Throw in a quick prayer for full conscience easement and then shut that door of concern and move on with our lives.

After all, this is happening to others unfamiliar to us in far off places. It doesn’t really affect us beyond a minuscule moment of time. We may even join our church family on Sunday to pray for a specific need for others…our conscience seems somewhat appeased. But how much of our heart do we truly invest in other people’s tragedies?

I’m not naive enough to assume we can be carrying the horrors of this world on a daily basis: tormenting us day and night. We have neither the inclination nor the spiritual stamina for such a burden. For this we have God who is infinite in His grace, love and mercy. And He wants to be our burden barer. But we must release it over to Him to begin with.

So can we not make the effort every day to come before God’s throne with a cry on behalf of the
martyrs and injustices throughout our planet?

We, in Canada have so much to be thankful for. Even in our most dire straits we can usually discover something to be grateful for starting within the inner circle of our lives and reaching beyond. Most of us in the body of Christ have probably at one time or another been asked to prayer for someone in need. I suspect it is often done half-heartedly with limited concern and time.

But what about when it is our own family crisis? Do we not storm the gates of Heaven with our pleas and our cries? Do we not persist day and night until we find a peace in the midst of the storm?

I believe if we disciplined ourselves daily to be thankful for our blessings followed by asking God to bring a person, place or specific situation of someone or something who is suffering and commit the day to ‘remind’ God of their need for restoration we would see the fruits start to take hold in this country of Canada.

I believe the majority of the people in this once great country of Canada have chosen to walk away from God and to go their own misguided ways; independent of God. I feel God, with tears
in His eyes, hands held out before us is saying,” you think you are free living independent of
me?? Well, you can try. I have given you free will. You choose today whom you will serve”…

Until we return to The One who holds our lives in His hands, we will continue to sink deeper
and deeper into this miry clay we have foolishly become accustomed to, thinking it is our best
life, but which will eventually suffocate us. We have truly been displaced. God is calling us back home: back to Himself. Let us begin and end our daily journey, with prayer; for others as well ourselves as we return home to Him. God forgive us and have mercy.