The God's Land: A new vision of belonging

Hebrews 11:13-16

13 All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth. 14 People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. 15 If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

We are all pilgrims and citizens of a greater Kingdom-God's Kingdom, and Canada can become a signpost of that Kingdom when we live interculturally, in faith and justice in Canada. We often begin public gatherings with a Land Acknowledgment, remembering that this land we now call Canada is not ours alone-it is shared, inherited, and historically stewarded by Indigenous peoples. As Christians, we add yet another layer to this truth. This is God's land
 
Psalm 24:1 reminds us: The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it, the world and all who live in it." Hebrews 11 brings us into the story of pilgrims, exiles, and seekers-people who understood that no matter where they set foot, they were walking in God's land and seeking a better country, a heavenly one. The writer of Hebrews is reflecting on the great ancestors of faith-Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, and Jacob- who all lived as strangers in lands they did not own. Yet they trusted in God's promise. Canada today is home to millions who have arrived from every nation; many of us, or our parents, came here seeking a better life. Others have been here since time immemorial, and some still feel like strangers even in their homeland. But Scripture tells us that we are all strangers here as believers, we do not fully belong to any one nation or system-we belong to God's Kingdom
 
Come to Luke 7:36-50 and imagine two people standing side by side, both wearing special glasses. The first person's glasses are tinted with labels "Sinner," "Unclean," "Unworthy, "and "Not Like Us." When he sees the woman enter the room, all he can visualize is her past-her mistakes, her shame, her brokenness. He cannot see her tears as love; he only sees them as weakness. His perception becomes a prison for her and for himself, the second person-Jesus-wears glasses tinted with grace. He sees more than what others see. He sees her faith, her repentance, her worth. Where the Pharisee sees scandal, Jesus sees salvation. Where the world sees a mess, Jesus visualizes a miracle in the making. The way we perceive others shapes the way we treat them. If we look at people only through the lens of their failures, we might miss what God is doing in their lives But if we ask the Holy Spirit to renew our vision, we will begin to see potential where others see problems, and grace where others see guilt Just like Simon the Pharisee, we are often blinded by our assumptions But Jesus teaches us to visualize people not as they were but as they can become through forgiveness and love. Ask yourself, "What kind of glasses am I wearing when I look at others? Are they lenses of law or lenses of love? When we learn to see others as Jesus sees them, perception becomes a tool for redemption, not condemnation. Let us ask for that kind of vision
 
To be Canadian, considering faith is to embrace the humility of being a guest: Whether we are indigenous settler, immigrant, or refugee, we walk this land as stewards of God's grace, not owners of the earth. The faithful in Hebrews were not nostalgic. Their culture is called to reflect a part of the image of the Creator. Therefore, every cultural story matter Brothers and sisters, Canada is not just a country, it is a canvas. A place where God is painting a picture of hospitality, justice, and hope. On Canada Day, we often look back at history, 1867, Confederation, key leaders, and milestones. We remember what has been achieved. But history is not just about looking backward; it's also about visualizing forward. Like the disciples on the road to Emmaus, we can walk with Jesus into the future of our nation, with our eyes opened and our hearts burning with vision.
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In Luke 24, the disciples were discouraged because their expectations of what Jesus should have done were shattered. They could not see what God was really doing-until Jesus broke the bread and opened their eyes. Then everything changed. They ran back with joy, not to preserve a memory, but to become witnesses of a new beginning. This is the kind of moment we need in Canada, a national "Emmaus moment." We must not only commemorate the past, but ask: What does the risen Christ want to do in and through us now, in this land we call Canada? We must visualize a new map-not of geography, but of justice, reconciliation, and hope:
 

• A map where Indigenous peoples are not forgotten but honored.
• A map where immigrants and refugees are welcomed with dignity.
• A map where the church does not merely defend old landmarks but points the way 

          to the risen Christ.
 
Just as Jesus opened the Scriptures and their minds, we too need to ask the Spirit to open our hearts to God's redemptive purpose in the land. As we celebrate being Canadian-whatever that looks like for each of us, we remember
 

• We are citizens of heaven.
• We are guests on this land.
• We are stewards of God's earth

 
Let us build a church and a community that points not just to one nation under God but to God's reign over every nation. Practice Intercultural Hospitality. Learn from someone whose culture is different from yours. Join in Reconciliation Indigenous communities, learn their stories, and walk humbly. Celebrate diversity in support worship-include songs, prayers, and testimonies from various backgrounds. Live with Pilgrim Faith. Let go of privilege and entitlement and embrace the humility of faith